Drone Maker Given ‘No Alternative’ After Being Added to US CMIC List

DJI Technologies recently opened a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense (DoD). The drone maker states that it was given ‘no alternative’ after the US added it to the Chinese Military-Industrial Complex (CMIC) companies list.

The China-based technology company controls around 90% of the public drone market. It has several popular designs, including the DJI Mavic 2 Pro and the recently introduced Air 3S, with applications ranging from travel photography to television.

The DoD’s list is frequently updated with companies believed to have ties to the Chinese military. It intends to ensure that the Chinese government is not able to use a ruse to access American technology. US government agencies are prohibited from entering business arrangements with listed organizations.

DJI became a member of the CMIC list in 2022. It stood its ground that it “is not a military company in China, the United States or anywhere else; has never designed or manufactured military-grade equipment; and has never marketed or sold its products for military use in any country… We stand ready to formally challenge our inclusion on the list.”

Two years later, DJI is preparing to do just that. It “determined it had no alternative other than to seek relief in federal court” after losing a significant amount of private and government deals. DJI also alleged that its employees “now suffer frequent and pervasive stigmatization” and are “repeatedly harassed and insulted in public places.”

This comes just a few months after the so-called “DJI Ban” bill overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives. The legislation, formally titled the Countering CCP Drones Act, adds DJI to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Covered List and prevents new DJI drones from operating on U.S. communications infrastructure. Current customers would still be able to operate their DJI drones.

DJI also recently accused US Customs and Border Protection of blocking its imports under the 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. This bans Chinese goods that are produced using forced labor. 

FMI: www.dji.com