World’s Largest Drone Firm DJI Sues the US Department of Defense

DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, has sued the US Department of Defense for being designated a Chinese military company in 2022.

DJI, based in Shenzhen, China, was estimated to control 90% of the consumer drone market in 2024. Its drones, such as the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, are commonly used for civilian use cases like aerial photography. They are popular in industries like film and TV and also with hobbyists.

The defense department produces a regularly updated list of companies that are thought to have significant ties to the Chinese military. This list is aimed at stopping the Chinese government from getting access to advanced technology, under the disguise of being a civilian operation. 

It is illegal for American government agencies to do business with companies on this list.

“DJI determined it had no alternative other than to seek relief in federal court,” according to the recent court filing reported by Politico. “DJI is not owned or controlled by the Chinese military, and the Department of Defense itself acknowledges that DJI makes consumer and commercial drones, not military drones.”

The firm alleged that it has not only lost business deals and government agency contracts but that its employees “now suffer frequent and pervasive stigmatization” and are “repeatedly harassed and insulted in public places.”

The news comes as some US officials are clamping down hard on the manufacturer.

Earlier this week, DJI warned that US Customs and Border Protection is blocking imports of its drones.

The manufacturer said US customs officials had been invoking the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The Act, signed in 2021 by President Biden, banned the import of goods from China that used forced labor. 

The bill was drafted in response to China’s alleged treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority, who have been widely reported as being used for forced labor by groups like Amnesty International, mainly in the Xinjiang region.

Meanwhile, on June 14 the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would completely ban DJI’s drones from being sold in the US if it is passed by the Senate. 

However, even if the US government did manage to enact a complete ban on the sale of DJI drones on US soil, existing owners would still have the right to fly them under the terms of the bill.

Though DJI has consistently denied any ties to the Chinese military, its products are commonly seen in war zones. The Ukrainian military has spent millions buying thousands of drones from DJI, Defense Now reports.

About Will McCurdy

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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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