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Chinese manufactured drones ban discussions happening in Congress

The CEO of a U.S. drone manufacturer is monitoring proposed legislation that would ban Chinese-made drones. 

Arthur Erickson, CEO of U.S. drone manufacture Hylio, says Chinese manufacture DJI has 70 to 80% of the world’s drone market share.

“What this bill is doing is it’s taking away the FCC’s ability to give DJI products their necessary communication licenses to work on our radio networks like our Wi-fi networks and all that here in the states. So if they can’t get FCC authorization to be on our communication networks, then they’re effectively paper weights.”

Trace Thompson, a graduate research assistant at the University of Missouri, tells Brownfield if the legislation passes, it could have a long-term impact.

“You’re going to see farmers less willing to use them because they’re going to cost a lot more money.”

The U. S House included the Countering CCP Drones Act which would ban Chinese-made drones in its National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025. The Senate dropped the bill from its version of the NDAA.

In a statement to Brownfield Erickson said the group would like to see some or all of the language of the Countering CCP Drones Act added to the Senate bill from the floor or added back in during reconciliation with the House bill. 

If a bill was signed into law, Erickson says, it would apply to any products going forward 60 days after it was finalized.  He says there’s language in the House of Representatives bill to retro actively revoke FCC licenses to existing DJI products.

AUDIO: Arthur Erickson, CEO of Hylio

AUDIO: Trace Thompson, graduate research assistant at the University of Missouri