With Three Weeks Left, DJI Issues Last Plea for US to Start Its Mandated Audit
With just weeks left before DJI’s products will be banned in the United States pending a last-second security audit, as mandated by law, DJI is pulling out all the stops and imploring federal officials to take the necessary actions.
In a letter addressed to very high-ranking federal officials Kash Patel (Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation), Lt. Gen. William Hartman (Acting Director of the National Security Agency), Tulsi Gabbard (Director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence), and Pete Hegseth (Secretary of the Department of War), DJI’s Head of Global Policy, Adam Welsh, urges any relevant agency of the federal government initiate the security review of DJI Technology products, as mandated by Congress under Section 1709 of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.
“With less than one month left before the December 23, 2025 deadline, we urge you to take up this audit immediately to avoid any negative consequences to American drone users, including our public safety and law enforcement officers, and to provide them with answers about the security of DJI products,” Welsh writes.
Welsh continues, stating that DJI’s position on the audit “has never wavered,” and that the company is prepared to work with the federal government, maintain complete transparency, and provide all necessary information to complete the review.
“To date, these offers have gone unanswered, and public reports suggest that this audit has not yet commenced,” Welsh writes. “With time running out, we once again are calling for this audit to take place immediately to avoid the automatic addition of DJI products to the FCC’s ‘Covered List’ that would take place if the audit is not completed by December 23.”
Welsh argues that if DJI’s products are added to the FCC’s “Covered List,” resulting in their ban from the American market, it would lead to widespread consumer confusion and “deprive American drone users of due process — and of answers about the safety and security of the DJI products they use every day.”
“Failing to undertake the review further goes against Congressional intent for a security review to be completed,” Welsh says, before explaining that DJI is confident that its products can withstand any U.S. government scrutiny.
DJI’s products have already gone under audits before, including from some U.S. government agencies like the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Idaho National Laboratory at the direction of the Department of Homeland Security. Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, also received a separate, mostly identical letter from DJI.
In that letter, Welsh notes that Noem had indicated “through written communication” in September that her agency was willing to work with DJI. DJI notes that more than 80% of state and local law enforcement and emergency services in the U.S. operate drone programs that rely on DJI technology.
“We stand behind the security of our technology, and with time running out, we are keen to meet with you and ensure that this Congressionally-mandated security review takes place as soon as possible. My team and I are available at any time to provide information that may be helpful and ensure that a fair and thorough audit is indeed carried out before it is too late,” Welsh concludes. “The American people, including those who use DJI drones for their jobs, for their livelihoods, or for ensuring the safety and security of our communities, deserve no less.”
If the required audit is not initiated or completed by December 23, 2025, DJI’s drones will be automatically added to the FCC’s Covered List, as required by federal law, and will therefore be banned from entering the United States. As of now, with less than three weeks left before the deadline, the situation looks dire for DJI.
Image credits: DJI
