DJI welcomes US court order to review its ‘military company’ designation
Chinese drone maker DJI on Monday welcomed a US appeals court decision to reconsider its alleged ties to China’s military, saying it expects to “set the record straight as the case moves forward.” The US Department of Defense (DoD) first placed DJI on its blacklist of alleged Chinese military companies in October 2022. DJI filed […] The post DJI welcomes US court order to review its ‘military…
Chinese drone manufacturer DJI expressed satisfaction on Monday with a US appeals court's decision to reevaluate its designation as a "military company." The Department of Defense (DoD) initially classified DJI as one of its blacklisted entities in October 2022. DJI challenged this designation in October 2024, and a lower US court ruled in favor of the DoD in 2025.
This prompted DJI to appeal the decision. Last Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an order stating that the lower court made an error by basing its conclusion solely on an unclassified record. The case has now been returned to the lower court for further proceedings. In a statement, DJI hailed the court's finding as a "significant step toward correcting an unjustified designation."
The company reiterated that it is not a military entity and has consistently condemned the use of its products in combat, taking steps to prevent such misuse. DJI is renowned as a leading drone manufacturer, accounting for over half of the American commercial drone market and contributing $515 million to the US agriculture sector in 2023.
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