The Federal Communications Commission proposed on August 3, 2026, to ban the import and sale of foreign-made drones equipped with LiDAR sensors, which the agency classifies as military-grade technology [1]. The proposal targets drones with additional features including thermal imaging sensors, agricultural spray dispensers, drones weighing 55 pounds or more, docking stations, defense article integration, and swarming capabilities [1, 2, 3, 4].
Popular consumer drones such as DJI's Air 3S and Mini 5 Pro, which use LiDAR for obstacle detection, would be banned from sale in the US if the proposal is adopted, the FCC said [1, 2, 3, 4]. The new rules would also apply retroactively to foreign drones previously authorized before the ban's initial steps in December 2025 [1, 2, 3, 4].
The FCC began restricting foreign drones on December 22, 2025, when it added all foreign-made drones and critical components to its Covered List, effectively barring authorization of new foreign drone models in the US [1, 4]. The current proposal seeks to extend that ban by targeting specific technologies and features associated with military-grade and advanced commercial drones.
The FCC clarified that drones already owned by consumers will not be grounded, but owners may face challenges obtaining spare parts and software updates over time [1, 4]. DJI strongly condemned the FCC's proposal, calling it a "total reversal" of the agency's previous positions and issuing a call to action against the restrictions [4].
Public comments on the proposed ban are open until September 2, 2026 [1, 4]. If adopted, the new restrictions would take effect approximately 180 days after the proposal's August 3 publication [1].
