US Commerce Department Withdraws Proposed Restrictions on Chinese-Made Drones

The U.S. Commerce Department says it has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have imposed new restrictions on Chinese-made drones over national security concerns.

In September, the Commerce Department said it planned to issue rules that could restrict or potentially block imports of Chinese drones, citing risks linked to information and communication technology supply chains. The proposal focused on Chinese drone manufacturers, including DJI and Autel, and followed national security risks identified by the department in a January 2025 request for public comment.

According to a report by Reuters, the Commerce Department formally sent the draft rule to the White House for review on October 8. However, the department then withdrew the proposal on January 8, ending a months-long review process. The withdrawal comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing in April, where he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Reuters reports that the reversal follows meetings between the White House and the Commerce Department on the drone proposal through December 19, as well as a meeting with DJI officials on December 11, according to publicly posted records. DJI told officials that imposing blanket restrictions on drones manufactured in China would be “unnecessary, conceptually flawed, and would be extremely harmful to U.S. stakeholders.”

Under existing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) restrictions, Chinese drone manufacturers are unable to obtain approval to sell new drone models or certain critical components in the U.S. However, those restrictions do not ban the import, sale, or use of drone models that were previously authorized, and they do not affect drones that have already been purchased.

Chinese-made drones account for the majority of commercial drone sales in the U.S. More than half of those sales come from DJI, which is the world’s largest drone manufacturer. It is widely believed that the decision to withdraw the proposed rule reflects a broader pause by Washington on some actions targeting China ahead of the planned Trump–Xi meeting.

“This decision underscores President Trump’s desire to sustain the trade framework that he and President Xi approved this past October and ensure a cordial meeting between the two leaders during his April visit to Beijing,” Ali Wyne, a senior research adviser at the International Crisis Group, tells the South China Post.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.