A federal judge has rejected drone maker DJI’s efforts to get off a Department of Defense (DoD) list of Chinese military companies. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled that the DoD had provided “substantial evidence” that DJI contributes “to the Chinese defense industrial base.” Judge Friedman pointed to the use of modified DJI drones in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, stating that “whether or not DJI’s policies prohibit military use is irrelevant. That does not change the fact that DJI’s technology has both substantial theoretical and actual military application.”
While the judge did reject some of the DoD’s other rationales for the listing, his core finding upheld the government’s position. Other government agencies, including the Department of Commerce and the Treasury Department, had previously placed DJI on similar lists before it was added to the DoD list in 2022. When DJI filed the lawsuit last year, the company had argued that it was not “owned or controlled by the Chinese military” and that the DoD itself acknowledged that DJI makes consumer and commercial drones, not military ones. The company also said it had “suffered ongoing financial and reputational harm” as a result of the listing. In a statement to Reuters, DJI said it is considering its legal options and that Judge Friedman’s decision was “based on a single rationale that applies to many companies that have never been listed.”
Ongoing Legal Challenges
DJI faces other legal hurdles in the United States, including a potential ban on sales that could begin in December. The ban would take effect unless a national security agency determines that its drones do not “pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.” The U.S. has expressed concerns that foreign-made drones could be used for espionage and intelligence gathering. The judge’s ruling further cements the government’s position that DJI’s products, despite their commercial uses, have a military application that makes them a national security risk.
What The Author Thinks
This ruling highlights the “dual-use dilemma” of modern technology. Even if a company like DJI has a stated commercial purpose, its products can be easily repurposed for military applications, which makes it a legitimate national security concern. The judge’s decision sets a powerful precedent that companies cannot simply claim a civilian purpose for their products when their technology is being used in global conflicts. This legal and geopolitical pressure on DJI demonstrates a new era where tech companies are being held accountable not just for their intentions, but for the actual use of their products, a trend that will likely continue to reshape the global technology landscape.
Featured image credit: Ryan Beirne via Pexels
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