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Can you still fly a DJI drone? Where things stand

Yes, a DJI drone you already own is still legal to fly. What the FCC changed, what it proposed in July 2026, and how to choose a first drone for paid work.

8 min read

A lot of people asking about the DJI “ban” aren’t really asking about DJI. They’re asking whether the whole plan still makes sense. One r/drones post put it this way: “with this potential ban on the horizon for DJI, is it even worth getting anymore?”

Here’s where things stand as of September 14, 2026. Yes, you can keep flying a DJI drone you already own. The FCC’s own FAQ, updated July 21, 2026, says “Consumers can continue to use any device that has received an equipment authorization.” What changed is buying new: new foreign-made drone models can’t get the FCC authorization they need to be sold in the US. A proposal the FCC put out for comment in July could also stop sales of some models that are already authorized, mainly thermal, LiDAR, spraying and dock systems. It was still pending when we checked.

This is a plain-English summary of what the FCC documents say, with links so you can read them yourself. It isn’t legal advice, and these rules have moved several times this year, so check the current status before you buy.

What actually happened, in order

  • December 23, 2024. The FY2025 defense bill (NDAA) named DJI and Autel in Section 1709, which started the process that led to the FCC listing.
  • December 22, 2025. The FCC added foreign-produced drones and drone “critical components” (batteries, motors, controllers, cameras and similar parts) to its Covered List. Covered equipment can’t receive new FCC equipment authorizations. The listing is by where a product is made, not by company, so it reaches beyond DJI. The FCC’s fact sheet that day said the decision “does not impact a consumer’s ability to continue using drones they previously purchased or acquired,” and that retailers could keep selling models authorized earlier.
  • May 8, 2026. The FCC extended a waiver so drones authorized before the listing can keep getting software and firmware updates that protect consumers until at least January 1, 2029. An earlier waiver had run only to January 1, 2027.
  • July 21, 2026. Three things. The FCC updated its drone FAQ. It extended the exemptions for drones on the Defense Department’s Blue UAS Cleared List and for US-made “domestic end products” to January 1, 2028. And its public safety and engineering offices released a public notice proposing to stop further import and marketing of certain “military-grade” foreign drones that are already authorized, and asking for comment.
  • August 3, 2026. That proposal was published in the Federal Register, which set a comment deadline of September 2, 2026. On August 28 the FCC turned down requests for more time.
  • September 3, 2026. Separately, new import duties on drones took effect under a presidential proclamation. Duties can raise prices, but they don’t change whether you can fly.
  • September 14, 2026. We checked the FCC’s Covered List page. Its table was still dated September 9, 2026.

Two details get reported inconsistently, so here’s what the primary documents say. First, the Blue UAS exemption now ends January 1, 2028, per the FCC’s July 21 notice. One answer on the FCC’s FAQ page still says 2027, which looks like text that wasn’t updated. Second, you’ll see the summer action described as both a “proposal” and a “request for comment.” It’s both: the July 21 notice proposes the ban and asks for comment on it, and the August date is when it was published in the Federal Register. Either way, it isn’t a final decision yet.

Can you fly the drone you own?

Yes, under the rules as they stood on September 14, 2026. The FCC has said this in its December 2025 fact sheet and again in its July 2026 FAQ. Even the July proposal says a ban on imports and sales “would not affect continued use or operation of already-purchased” drones.

One exception is worth knowing if you shop online. The FCC’s FAQ says a covered drone bought abroad that never received FCC authorization generally can’t be operated in the US. A grey-market import is a different situation from a drone bought from a US retailer.

Flying rules come from the FAA, and the FCC says its Covered List is independent of other agencies’ rules. We found no FAA notice restricting flights of DJI drones. Part 107, drone registration and Remote ID apply to you the same way they did before.

Can you still buy one?

It depends on whether the model was authorized before the listing.

New models: a foreign-made drone model that wasn’t already authorized can’t get FCC authorization now, unless it falls under an exemption such as the Blue UAS list or a conditional approval. New DJI models aren’t among the exemptions we found.

Models already authorized: the FCC’s FAQ says that, in general, a drone or component the FCC has already authorized can still be imported, sold and used. That can include models you’ll find in US stores and on the used market, and replacement parts that were authorized.

What could still change

The July proposal (PS Docket 26-189) is the one to watch. It would stop further import and marketing of already-authorized foreign drones that the FCC calls military-grade: aircraft of 55 pounds or more, drones that can spray pesticides, drones with thermal imaging or LiDAR, docking stations, drones designed around a defense article, and swarming systems. If adopted as proposed, sales would have to stop 180 days after the decision is published in the Federal Register. It wouldn’t apply to drones outside those categories, and it wouldn’t stop you using one you already own.

DJI has said it reads the proposal as reaching its FlyCart, agricultural, enterprise and dock products, and that owners could keep using them while “the same models in use today might no longer be available to purchase in the future.” That’s the manufacturer’s interpretation, not an FCC finding.

There’s a second, separate proposal (Docket 26-184) aimed at named companies the FCC links to DJI and at Anzu Robotics. DJI itself isn’t named as a target in those notices.

How fast could this move? The FCC used the same tool on older covered telecom equipment this year: proposed in March, decided in June, in effect July 16, 2026. That doesn’t mean the drone proposal will go the same way, but it’s why we’d check before a big purchase.

Is the license still worth getting?

The drone brand question and the license question are separate. Your Part 107 certificate belongs to you as a pilot. To get it you need to be 16 or older, read and speak English, be fit to fly, and pass the test. Nothing in that depends on what aircraft you fly, and the certificate doesn’t change when you switch drones.

The need for it doesn’t change either. The FAA says photos to help sell a property and roof inspections are Part 107 flights whether or not you’re paid. If you want to check whether your flying needs a license, start there.

Choosing a first drone for paid work in 2026

We’d make this decision assuming the rules might move again, and pick an option that still works if they do.

  • For real estate, roofs and events, a consumer camera drone of a model that’s already FCC-authorized is still legal to buy and fly, new or used. The proposal as written is aimed at thermal, LiDAR, spraying, heavy and dock systems. DJI has argued that some consumer models with LiDAR sensors for obstacle avoidance could be caught too, so check any model with LiDAR carefully. Check the model’s current status before you buy, and buy from a US seller.
  • For thermal inspection, mapping with LiDAR or ag spraying, be more careful. Those are the categories in the July proposal, and DJI itself expects some of those products could stop being sold. If you’re buying into that work, confirm availability of the aircraft and parts first.
  • For government or public-agency work, client rules may matter more than the FCC. Florida, for example, requires its government agencies to use drones from approved manufacturers. Ask a public client what aircraft it accepts before you quote.
  • If you’re not sure which lane you’ll work in yet, hold off on an expensive aircraft. Figure out the work first, then buy for it.

One more practical note. DJI switched its US no-fly zones to advisory warnings based on FAA data back in January 2025. The app may warn you, but it won’t stop you from flying into airspace where you need authorization. Knowing airspace classes and LAANC is on you.

Registration and Remote ID still apply

The brand debate doesn’t change the paperwork. A common mix-up is thinking a sub-250-gram drone is exempt for paid work. The registration exception for drones of 0.55 pounds or less covers only recreational flying, not Part 107. And a small drone flown under Part 107 still has to meet Remote ID. Our Remote ID guide explains the three ways to comply.

Checked on September 14, 2026

This page reflects the FCC Covered List as dated September 9, 2026, the FCC FAQ updated July 21, 2026, and the public notices linked above. The decision on Docket 26-189 could come at any time. Before you buy, check the FCC’s Covered List here and its drone FAQ here for anything newer.

If you’re still working out whether drone work suits you, find the drone job that fits you before you spend money on an aircraft. The full path to your first paid flight covers what comes after.