C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The FCC has removed certain foreign-made toy drones from its Covered List, marking its first major exception since the 2025 crackdown.
- The new rules are so restrictive that popular models, including DJI’s smallest drones, remain excluded.
- Eligible devices must be lightweight, lack GPS and internet connectivity, have no cameras or sensors, and offer just 10 minutes of flight time.
The US government is easing one part of its sweeping crackdown on foreign drones, but don’t expect DJI to suddenly be back to business as usual.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has removed a narrow subset of foreign-made “toy drones” from its Covered List, following a fresh national security determination from the Department of War. The move is the first substantive exception since the agency effectively slammed the door on new foreign drone models in late 2025.
However, the newly approved drones are so limited that most products consumers actually want — including DJI’s smallest aircraft — don’t even qualify. As background, the FCC added all foreign-made drones and critical components to its Covered List in December 2025, citing national security concerns. The agency later carved out some exceptions, including approved Blue UAS products and domestic end products. The latest update adds an additional carve-out for low-risk toy drones.
According to the FCC’s June 15 public notice, a drone only qualifies as a toy if it checks every box on a lengthy list (via Notebookcheck). They need to be under 150 grams, fly in a straight line no more than 100 meters away, stay under 300 feet, and have no GPS, Wi-Fi, internet, or app connectivity. They also can’t have cameras, microphones, onboard recording, or any other sensing hardware. The flight time is limited to 10 minutes, the speed is restricted to 10 meters per second, and the drones have to be sold as a toy only.
The Pentagon stated that these products lack the range, payload, connectivity, and data collection capabilities that could present national security concerns. That definition pretty much excludes every modern camera drone.
DJI Neo is one such example. It tips the scale just under the weight limit at 135 grams but includes a 12MP camera, GPS, brushless motors, long-range wireless connectivity, and around 18 minutes of flight time.
More importantly, the FCC’s exemption does not apply to products made by companies identified under Section 1709 of the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act. DJI is still caught in those wider restrictions, so a hypothetical stripped-down DJI toy drone wouldn’t automatically be given the nod.
So while the FCC has technically reopened the door for some imported drones, it’s a sliver. Nothing’s really changed for the hobbyist or for the photographers and creators looking for a broader DJI comeback.
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