US legislation barring DJI drones ‘undermines American interests’: company

US legislation barring new drones made by Chinese technology firm DJI in the US “not only undermines American interests but also harms the very industry Congress intends to support,” a DJI spokesperson said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Wednesday.

The US House of Representatives approved on Monday local time a bill to ban the operation of new models of DJI drones in the US. 

With less than two months to go before the US’ 2024 presidential and congressional elections, the world’s leading drone maker has become a new target as US lawmakers prepare to introduce up to 28 bills this week targeting China, in what has been dubbed "China Week."

“While it’s disheartening to see public policy discussions once again being swayed by political considerations rather than facts, DJI remains committed to actively engaging with lawmakers to dispel misconceptions about our brand,” the DJI statement reads.

DJI drones are utilized by the US’ federal agencies, local law enforcement, and emergency response teams to keep the communities safe and save lives in the US, the spokesperson said.

The use of DJI drones has also enabled the growth of small businesses in sectors ranging from real estate to agriculture and transport. All of these sectors rely on access to DJI drone technology to support operations, DJI spokesperson stated. 

“Legislation that restricts US drone operators' ability to purchase and use the right equipment for their work, based solely on the equipment's country of origin, not only undermines American interests but also harms the very industry Congress intends to support,” the spokesperson said.

As the world’s leading drone maker, DJI accounts for over half of all drone sales in the US. 

However, US lawmakers have consistently singled out the company, citing baseless national security concerns that DJI has strongly refuted.

As early as in October 2022, the US Defense Department blacklisted DJI based on the groundless allegation of “ties to the Chinese military.” 

“In order to maintain its sci-tech hegemony, the US has been abusing export control measures to wantonly block and hobble Chinese enterprises,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on October 8, 2022 at a routine press conference in Beijing.

“By politicizing tech and trade issues and using them as a tool and weapon, the US cannot hold back China’s development, but will only hurt and isolate itself when its action backfires,” Mao said.

The latest US bill still requires approval from the US Senate before it can be signed into law by the US president, and it would not affect DJI drones already in use within the country, according to media reports.