DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, which supplies over half of all U.S. commercial drones, has initiated legal action against the Department of Defense (DoD). The company seeks the removal of its designation as allegedly collaborating with the Chinese military. On Friday, DJI appealed to a U.S. District Judge in Washington to issue an order removing it from the Pentagon list that labels it as a “Chinese military company.” DJI maintains that it is neither owned by nor under the control of the Chinese military.
The classification by the DoD has reportedly caused DJI to lose business opportunities, face stigmatization as a national security threat, and encounter bans on contracts with numerous federal agencies. According to the lawsuit, both U.S. and international clients have terminated ongoing contracts and are reluctant to establish new ones with DJI.
The company filed the lawsuit after engaging unsuccessfully with the Defense Department regarding the designation for over 16 months. DJI claims it had no choice but to pursue relief in federal court. In a statement to Fox News Digital, the company emphasized it is a private entity specializing in consumer and commercial drones, not military equipment, and it disputes its classification as a military company.
Further complicating matters for DJI, numerous major Chinese firms have been placed on the same list, including AVIC, YMTC, China Mobile, and CNOOC. U.S. legislators have raised ongoing concerns about potential national security risks posed by data transmission, surveillance, and other activities associated with DJI drones. However, DJI disputes these security concerns.
Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives voted against allowing new DJI drones to operate within the U.S., with the legislation now awaiting Senate approval. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Defense for any additional comments on this matter.
