The FCC Moves to Retroactively Ban Drones With LiDAR Obstacle Avoidance
The agency says LiDAR-equipped models can count as military-grade, a move that could pull consumer, agricultural and inspection drones from U.S. shelves.
7 Articles
7 Articles
I’m an American drone pilot. The US drone ban may be about to get worse, as the FCC’s definition of “military-grade” could remove popular drones like the DJI Mini 5 Pro
After preventing all newly announced foreign-made drones from hitting US shelves last December, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing a move that would remove some existing drones from the market – including popular consumer models like the DJI Mini 5 Pro and the DJI Avata 360. Last year, the FCC added DJI and all foreign-made drones to the “Covered List,” effectively preventing all newly announced consumer drones from enterin…
The FCC Moves to Retroactively Ban Drones With LiDAR Obstacle Avoidance
Many photographers and videographers will be surprised to learn that the FCC considers camera drones with LiDAR obstacle avoidance, like the consumer-grade Air 3S, Avata 360, and Mini 5 Pro, to be weapons of war.
Opponents of FCC's Latest Drone Ban Make Their Objections Known in Early Comments
The FCC continues to see pushback from law enforcement, drone companies and enthusiasts over a proposal to further ramp up the agency's campaign against foreign-made drones. Comments are due Sept. 2 on one of the latest developments, an FCC notice...
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has published a proposal to extend its ban on foreign-made drones to include previously approved models. The new restriction would specifically target drones equipped with LiDAR, thermal imaging and aerosol dispersion systems, categories that the agency now considers to be "military capability." Jackson Chen covers it in Engadget on August 10, 2026. DJI, the Chinese manufacturer who dominates the …
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently published a proposal in the Federal Register to further tighten restrictions on the import and sale of foreign drones, soliciting public comments. The new ban would include foreign-made drones equipped with specific sensing devices such as LiDAR systems in the category of "military-grade drones."
FCC’s New Drone Ban Proposal Targets LiDAR Tech
The FCC is planning to expand its drone ban to cover more products. That includes some of those it previously approved. The FCC is apparently proposing a ban on drones equipped with certain capabilities, like thermal imaging, LiDAR sensing, and aerosol dispensing. However, the new rules would not affect drones people already own. FCC’s expanded restrictions could put LiDAR drones at risk The agency, in a public notice posted last month, is seeki…
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