US Mulls Restrictions On Chinese Drones

China fires back after US Commerce Dept says it is considering new restrictions on Chinese drones in the United States

America has signalled to the authorities in Beijing that another Chinese goods segment may be excluded from the United States.

On Thursday the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced it is considering new rules that would impose restrictions on Chinese drones, which would restrict or ban them in the United States, due to national security concerns.

It comes amid years of concerns about Chinese-made drones. Indeed, as far back as 2019 the United States has been warning businesses and organisations of the potential spying threat posed by using drones manufactured in China.

Drone restrictions?

Now the Commerce Department BIS said it has “issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking public comment to inform the potential development of a rule to secure and safeguard the information and communication technology and services (ICTS) supply chain for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones.”

It pointed out that commercial drones are now commonplace across the United States, and that this ANPRM is because of the “acute threats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia – may offer our adversaries the ability to remotely access and manipulate these devices, exposing sensitive US data.”

China accounts for the vast majority of commercial drone sales in the United States. Indeed Chinese drone giant DJI,sells more than half of all drones in America.

BIS said it is seeking public feedback by 4 March on several matters outlined in the ANPRM, including: definitions of UAS and components, assessments of how potential classes of ICTS transactions integral to UAS may present undue or unacceptable risks to US national security, evaluations of risk posed by different foreign adversaries, potential processes for the public to request approval to engage in an otherwise prohibited transaction, the economic impact such regulation could have on certain entities, and, where feasible, potential mitigation measures.

“Securing the unmanned aircraft systems technology supply chain is critical to safeguarding our national security. This ANPRM is an essential step in protecting the United States from vulnerabilities posed by foreign entities,” said US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

“The Department of Commerce continues to assess the national security risks posed by foreign adversary involvement in our critical technology supply chains,” said Under Secretary for Industry and Security Alan F. Estevez. “We welcome public comment on this ANPRM as we seek to proactively understand – and most effectively address – these vulnerabilities in the commercial drone market.”

Chinese response

The Global Times reported that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has expressed strong opposition on Friday to US Commerce Department’s announcement of considering new rules that could potentially lead to the restriction or ban of Chinese drones in the US.

China stands firmly opposed to the US’ overstretching the concept of national security, disrupting and restricting normal international trade and economic exchange, undermining global industrial and supply chains stability, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reportedly told a press conference on Friday.

China will take all necessary measures to firmly defend its legitimate and lawful rights and interests, Mao was quoted as saying by the Global Times.

Entity list

It should be noted that Chinese drone giant DJI and the other Chinese firms were placed on the US “entity list” since 2020 – a blacklist that effectively prohibits US companies from doing business with them.

Then in December 2021 the US Treasury Department added DJI and seven other Chinese firms to an investment blacklist, in response to the surveillance allegations against minorities in mainland China.

The US Treasury said at the time that private firms were “actively co-operating with the government’s efforts to repress members of ethnic and religious minority groups”.

DJI denies this allegation.

In October 2024 Reuters reported it had seen a letter, in which DJI had notified distributors that US Customs and Border Protection was citing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) in withholding some drones from being imported into the United States.