OnDefend audit discovered no important or high-risk vulnerabilities in examined DJI programs
DJI has launched the outcomes of an unbiased cybersecurity evaluation carried out by U.S.-based safety agency OnDefend, as the corporate continues its enchantment of inclusion on the Federal Communications Fee’s Coated Checklist.
The evaluation examined two DJI drone programs, the DJI Air 3S and the DJI Matrice 4E, over a five-month interval from October 2025 via March 2026. In accordance with the report, OnDefend recognized “zero important, excessive, and medium-risk findings” throughout testing.
DJI mentioned the evaluation included software program, {hardware}, firmware, and radio frequency testing. The corporate acknowledged that shopper units have been bought independently from retail channels with out prior discover to DJI, whereas enterprise programs have been sourced from vendor stock.
Findings of the Safety Evaluation
Among the many findings cited within the launch:
- No proof of knowledge transmission outdoors america
- No recognized backdoors or unauthorized distant entry mechanisms
- No unexplained radio frequency emissions
- No detected provide chain tampering or unauthorized {hardware} modifications
The report additionally recognized ten low-risk findings and 13 observations associated primarily to utility safety configurations and wi-fi hardening. DJI acknowledged that remediation efforts are underway via future software program updates.
In a press release included within the launch, OnDefend mentioned the testing recognized “no clear proof of hidden backdoors, no information transmissions outdoors america, and no viable pathways for hijacking or weaponization.”
DJI’s inclusion on the FCC Coated Checklist in December 2025 has turn out to be one of the vital intently watched coverage points within the U.S. drone business. The Coated Checklist identifies communications tools and companies that the FCC determines pose a danger to nationwide safety. DJI has challenged the designation, arguing that no particular technical vulnerability has been publicly recognized.
The FCC has additionally acquired vital public suggestions on the problem. Greater than 3,000 feedback have reportedly been submitted relating to DJI’s petition difficult its Coated Checklist designation.
Provide Chain Safety Turns into a Bigger Focus
Platform safety could not deal with the true situation, nevertheless.
The controversy round DJI and different foreign-manufactured drone programs has developed over the previous a number of years. Early discussions typically centered on platform-level cybersecurity considerations, together with questions on information transmission, distant entry, and software program integrity.
Extra just lately, nevertheless, U.S. authorities officers have more and more framed the problem as one in every of provide chain resilience and strategic manufacturing capability.
At a current public presentation, Protection Innovation Unit (DIU) Director Travis Metz described the problem in broader phrases.
“If we have been at warfare with our doubtless adversaries and wanted tens of millions of those drones, these adversaries wouldn’t promote us the elements to construct them,” Metz mentioned. “We’ve to plan for a future the place we can not buy elements from our adversaries.”
That shift in emphasis has turn out to be more and more seen throughout a number of federal actions, together with FCC proceedings, Division of Protection procurement packages, and broader efforts to encourage home drone manufacturing and part sourcing.
The FCC’s Coated Checklist course of itself has additionally expanded past full platform bans. In current months, the fee has established pathways for conditional approvals and exemptions for sure plane and elements. Earlier FCC notices outlined exemptions for a number of programs that met particular standards associated to safety overview and provide chain issues.
Ongoing FCC Evaluate
The FCC’s overview course of now seems to contain each cybersecurity analysis and broader questions surrounding trusted provide chains and long-term industrial capability.
DJI maintains that the findings from the OnDefend evaluation help its place that considerations underlying its Coated Checklist designation aren’t supported by technical proof.
“That is probably the most complete unbiased safety evaluation ever undertaken on our merchandise,” mentioned Adam Welsh, Head of World Coverage at DJI. “These findings verify what DJI has constantly maintained: our merchandise are safe, our information practices are clear, and the considerations underlying our FCC Coated Checklist designation aren’t supported by technical proof.”
The corporate mentioned it can proceed partaking with the FCC as its enchantment course of strikes ahead. DJI drones stay extensively used throughout public security, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and media manufacturing sectors in america.
Learn extra:
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory surroundings for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the business drone area and is a world speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, Electronic mail Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to DroneLife right here.
