U.S. Government Restricts Sales of New DJI Drones

 In DJI Drones, News

On December 23, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) effectively restricted the sale of most future DJI and other foreign-made drones, such as those produced by Autel, in the United States by adding these manufacturers to the FCC’s “Covered List.” As a result, new drone models from these companies are no longer eligible for FCC equipment authorization and therefore cannot be legally sold in the U.S.

That said, there are several important caveats and exceptions to this policy, some of which are addressed in this blog post.

The good news is that most DJI drones currently used by photographers will remain available in the future. The effective ban applies only to drone models that did not receive FCC approval before December 23, 2025. Any DJI drone that already had FCC authorization prior to that date can still be legally sold in the United States. However, two new DJI drone models expected to be released in 2026 do not have FCC approval and therefore will not be eligible for sale in the U.S.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro Drone

One of the questions I’m asked most often, now that some DJI drones are effectively banned in the United States, is which DJI drones, both current and future models, can still be legally sold in the U.S. To address that question, I’ve compiled the following list. (This list does not include DJI FPV drones or specialized platforms such as agricultural, delivery, or other purpose-built systems.)

DJI ModelFCC Grant DateFCC ID
DJI Mini 2 SEPre- 2026SS3-MT2SD22
DJI Mini 4KPre- 2026SS3-MT2SD22
DJI Mini 3Pre- 2026SS3-MT3PD22
DJI Mini 4 ProPre- 2026SS3-MT4MFVD23
DJI Air 3Pre- 2026SS3-EB3WBC2303
DJI Air 3SPre- 2026SS3-EB3WBC2303
DJI Mavic 3 ClassicPre- 2026SS3-L2P2104
DJI Mavic 3 ProPre- 2026SS3-L2ES2212
DJI Mavic 4 ProPre- 2026*
DJI Inspire 3Pre- 2026SS3-T7402206
DJI Enterprise ModelFCC Grant DateFCC ID
DJI Mavic 3MPre-2026SS3-M3E2206
DJI Mavic 3EPre-2026SS3-M3E2206
DJI Mavic 3TPre-2026SS3-M3E2206
DJI Matrice 4EPre-2026SS3-M4D2411
DJI Matrice 4TPre-2026SS3-M4D2411
DJI Matrice 30Pre-2026SS3-M302110
DJI Matrice 30TPre-2026SS3-M302110
DJI Matrice 400Pre-2026SS3-M4002412
DJI Matrice 350 RTKPre-2026SS3-M3502301
DJI Model Future ReleaseFCC Grant DateFCC ID
DJI Mavic 5No FCC Approval Pre- 2026N/A
DJI Matrice 450No FCC Approval Pre- 2026N/A

*FCC ID number not available

As you can see, there are still many DJI drone models that can be purchased in the United States today. While future access to the newest DJI releases may be limited, the FCC retains the authority to grant exceptions for foreign made drones it determines do not pose a national security risk. Such drones can be removed from the FCC’s “Covered List” and placed on the “Green List.”

I hope this helps clarify how the U.S. government’s decision in December 2025 to place DJI and other foreign drone manufacturers on the FCC’s “Covered List” has affected DJI drone availability in the U.S.

To learn more about any of these drones, visit our website below.

For additional drone insights and articles, check out my other blog posts below.

As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about professional photographic equipment or drones.

Take Care & Stay Safe.

greg@captureintegration.com – 303-728-4517

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