Under legislation enacted by Congress last year, DJI must undergo national security audits to evaluate risks related to data collection and compliance with Chinese government demands. However, the company says there is confusion over which agency is responsible for the review, and efforts to initiate discussions have been met with silence.

Several lawmakers, including Senator Rick Scott and Representative Elise Stefanik, have outright refused to meet with DJI, labeling it a Chinese Communist front. House Democrat Frank Pallone Jr. echoed similar sentiments, citing prior federal warnings about DJI’s potential security risks. Congressional offices remain divided between ideological distrust and lack of technical understanding of the company’s operations.

Despite DJI’s outreach efforts—including a lobbying spend of $400,000 and a direct appeal from its global policy head Adam Welsh—no meaningful dialogue has occurred, leaving the firm in regulatory limbo. DJI argues it is being judged by association rather than its specific actions or technology.

Public Use And Legal Uncertainty Persist

While federal resistance to DJI grows, several local police forces continue to rely on its drones for law enforcement and disaster response. Departments in Asheville, North Carolina, and Ross Township, Pennsylvania, praised the drones for their affordability and utility, emphasizing adherence to strict data privacy standards.

Nevertheless, other states like Florida have already enacted bans on DJI equipment for official use. Meanwhile, DJI’s U.S.-based reseller, Anzu Robotics, is under scrutiny as a possible shell company to circumvent future restrictions—a claim DJI has declined to fully address.

The situation mirrors that of ByteDance’s TikTok, which faced congressional backlash over similar data security concerns. But unlike ByteDance, DJI lacks a massive user base or public advocacy campaign, leaving it politically isolated. DJI’s lawsuit against the Pentagon over its classification as a Chinese Military Company remains unresolved in court, with key evidence sealed.

As the U.S. government stalls on formal audits and bipartisan skepticism intensifies, DJI’s U.S. market presence grows increasingly uncertain.