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As somebody who doesn’t live in the USA, the whole TikTok banning situation has been interesting to watch from the outside. Well, half-watch. I don’t really use TikTok and haven’t kept up with it every step of the way.
But with TikTok now facing an imminent ban if they don’t sell up, many believe US lawmakers are preparing their next target. And that target is more than likely going to be DJI. That’s a shame, just as they announce the DJI Mini 4K.
DJI and the USA – A little history
DJI’s already been suffering a tumultuous time in the USA over the last few years, starting when the US Army ditched DJI drones in 2017. At the time, the reason they cited was “cyber vulnerabilities”. In 2019, it was suggested that DJI might join Huawei in being blacklisted completely due to these security concerns.
In 2020, DJI joined the US Economic Blacklist, accused of “high-technology surveillance” and “human rights abuses”. This didn’t stop DJI from selling their products in the USA, but it did prevent many US-based companies from working with them.
In 2021, a commissioner at the FCC said that DJI drones should be banned from the USA completely. And it seems like things may be going that way. A couple of months later, it became illegal for US citizens to buy or sell DJI shares – although this didn’t really change much as it’s not a publicly traded company.
In March 2022, Germany’s largest electronics retailer, MediaMarkt, removed all of DJI’s drones from its shelves and website. They cited security concerns amidst rumours during the Russia/Ukraine conflict. Concerns that DJI disputed, convincing almost nobody.
By the end of 2022, the US Department of Defense formally blacklisted DJI as a “Chinese Military Company”. Again, DJI disputed this charge and said they should not have been classified as such and that they’re not that type of company at all.
What’s happening now?
Recently, a bill was introduced to the House known as the “Countering CCP Drones Act”. DJI is the primary target of the bill as a national security risk. While it targets DJI specifically, it would potentially have much wider implications. DJI is not taking this threat lying down, either.
The company has addressed the allegations that have been made against it on its website. They dispute the claims that DJI is collecting critical data and passing it to Chinese authorities. The company also says they are not a Chinese military company, nor can they be legally compelled to assist in espionage. They also dispute the human rights allegations.
But this may not stop a DJI ban in the USA. And there’s no telling what form it would take, either. Would DJI be obligated or even allowed to continue supporting existing customers? Or would all DJI drones become bricks?
Even for those not in the US, if the DJI ban becomes a reality, it might be a big enough profit loss for DJI to just pack it in and shut up shop. But even if they don’t, and the only people who can no longer buy DJI drones are the USA, who will replace them?
There aren’t any other drones on the market that have the features of DJI drones. At least not for the mass consumer market. There are definitely other companies with features that match and even beat DJI, but they’re not exactly readily available.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out, whichever way it goes.
[Via TechRadar]
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