DoD Can Hold Chinese language Drone Maker on Part 1260H Roster
A federal decide has dominated that DJI, the world’s largest drone producer, will stay on a U.S. Division of Protection checklist of “Chinese language army corporations.” The choice got here Friday, September 26, 2025, from Decide Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court docket for the District of Columbia.
The Part 1260H Listing
The Pentagon maintains the Part 1260H checklist as a part of ongoing efforts to determine corporations linked to China’s protection industrial base and the federal government’s coverage of “military-civil fusion.” The designation doesn’t straight prohibit gross sales within the U.S. market, but it surely does limit the power of federal businesses to contract with listed corporations and might affect personal sector partnerships.
DJI, primarily based in Shenzhen, had challenged its inclusion, arguing the Division of Protection didn’t have ample proof. The courtroom disagreed, discovering that the company offered sufficient justification to maintain DJI on the checklist.
Court docket’s Reasoning and DJI’s Response
Decide Friedman concluded that whereas not the entire Pentagon’s arguments have been persuasive, a single robust rationale was sufficient to maintain the designation. The choice means DJI will stay on the checklist for the foreseeable future.
In an announcement following the ruling, DJI mentioned the choice was unfair and that the corporate was contemplating its choices for enchantment.
Broader Implications
Remaining on the Part 1260H checklist provides to the challenges DJI faces within the U.S. market. The corporate is already topic to restrictions underneath different federal measures, together with the Commerce Division’s Entity Listing and the FCC’s Lined Listing. Whereas the Part 1260H designation alone doesn’t quantity to a gross sales ban, it reinforces present skepticism round authorities and enterprise adoption of DJI merchandise.
The ruling additionally comes towards the backdrop of broader U.S. legislative efforts. The FY2025 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act requires a proper assessment of DJI by U.S. nationwide safety businesses by December 23, 2025. If no assessment is accomplished, the regulation mandates DJI’s addition to the FCC’s Lined Listing, which might block new product certifications within the U.S.
What Comes Subsequent
For DJI, the courtroom choice underscores its uphill battle to protect market entry within the U.S. Whereas shopper gross sales stay robust, authorities and enterprise patrons will seemingly proceed to face strain to search for options, particularly in public security and protection functions.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory setting for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the industrial drone area and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the trade. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, E mail Miriam.
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