The US Trump administration announced on Friday (September 5) that they plan to introduce new regulations within this month targeting the import of drones and medium to large interconnected vehicles from China. This move is a further expansion of restrictions on automobiles and trucks based on national security considerations.
The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) stated in a notice on the Federal Regulatory Agenda website that they plan to implement relevant measures in the form of an “Interim Final Rule” as soon as this month. Transactions related to Information and Communication Technology (ICTS) products designed, manufactured, or supplied by China (CCP) and other countries considered “foreign adversaries” by the US, and used in drones or interconnected vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds (approximately 4.5 tons), could be deemed as posing “improper or unacceptable risks” to national security or US citizens.
This rule currently appears only on the Federal Regulatory Agenda website as a policy notice and does not have legal effect yet. According to practice, the rule will enter into the statutory process once formally published in the Federal Register.
This follows the Trump administration’s earlier strengthening of import reviews for cars and trucks, and the Biden administration’s push in 2023 to restrict the use of Chinese-made software and hardware in interconnected vehicles for similar security reasons.
According to Reuters, this move highlights Washington’s concerns about the security of critical infrastructure. With the rapid export of Chinese drones and electric vehicles, the US continues to tighten scrutiny to prevent CCP technology infiltration into communication, transportation, and energy networks. The US Department of Defense prohibited the purchase of Chinese-made drones as early as 2018, and in 2020, it completely grounded DJI products. Subsequently, DJI was added to the US Department of Commerce’s “Entity List” and the Treasury Department’s investment blacklist.
In this context, although DJI is still sold in the US civilian market, it has faced widespread restrictions in public safety areas such as law enforcement and firefighting. This new regulation is seen as a further tightening that may directly impact the sustainability of DJI drones in the US consumer market.
Meanwhile, there are also new actions in Congress. US Representative Pat Harrigan introduced the “SkyFoundry Act of 2025” on Thursday (September 4), requiring the Pentagon to establish a completely US-led process for designing, testing, and mass-producing drones, and to construct a facility capable of producing up to 1 million small drones annually, to strengthen US defense industrial capabilities and address and deter drone threats from China and Russia.