Should You Buy a DJI Drone Right Now?

Recently, a law called the Countering CCP Drones Act was passed by the U.S. House. It’s now awaiting a vote in the Senate, which may not happen until December.

If the law passes, DJI will effectively be banned in the U.S.

[Read our in-depth guide to the DJI ban.]

So, given the possibility of the ban, should you buy a DJI drone right now?

The answer might surprise you—yes, in fact now may be the best time ever to buy a DJI drone.

Credit: DJI

Two Important Details about the Potential Ban

First, there’s two key things we should note about the potential DJI ban:

1. It Seems Likely the Ban Will Only Apply to New DJI Drones

If you already own a DJI drone—or if you buy a new one—it seems likely your drone will continue to work just fine, even if the law passes.

We say “seems likely” because the current wording in the law is pretty vague.

The law would add DJI to the Defense Department’s Section 1260H List of “Chinese Military Companies” (there’s already 50 companies on the list). Once DJI is on that list, the FCC will have the authority to roll out a ban with a waiting period, to implement an immediate ban, or even to ban all DJI drones.

Based on the conversations we’ve had and reporting we’ve seen, the last option seems unlikely. A complete ban would risk making first responders, not to mention thousands of other voters, furious by suddenly rendering their investments worthless. And keep in mind, these are investments paid for with tax dollars.

We’ve already seen how much of a disaster a complete DJI ban was in Florida for state agencies. Though it could happen, we don’t anticipate the same blunder to be made at the federal level.

2. The Ban May Not Pass

The truth is, we have no idea what will happen with the law—it may change or lose political momentum between now and whenever the Senate vote happens.

On that note, it’s worth pointing out that the law passed on a slim majority in the House, with Republicans voting in favor and Democrats largely against. In the Senate, Democrats hold the majority, and may use that majority to vote down the law.

Credit: DJI

Four Reasons to Consider Buying a DJI Drone Right Now

Here are four reasons it’s a good time to consider buying a DJI drone:

1. They’re Pretty Cheap Right Now—and In General

DJI’s midsummer sale just ended. But DJI is constantly running sales, and its current prices are generally quite low.

Whether you wait for the next sale or big discount or not, DJI’s drones are still some of the cheapest on the market.

2. DJI Drones Are Still the Best Quality for the Price

DJI’s drones aren’t just cheap—they’re also good. Because DJI is so dominant, its technology has been tested by thousands of drone pilots, and it stands up to repeat use.

Especially when it comes to consumer/prosumer drone models in the $500-$3,000 range, DJI’s balance of quality and price stands alone.

3. Their Value May Go Up (If the Ban Passes)

Remember a few years back during the pandemic, when used cars were selling for more than new ones, and trucks and 4Runners were selling for way over their Blue Book value?

That happened because there was a shortage in supply. If the DJI ban passes there could be a similar situation, with DJI drones becoming more valuable because they’re harder to get.

4. DJI Has an Established Ecosystem

Because of DJI’s dominance, you can find spare parts, accessories, and software for DJI drones that will continue to be available and useful regardless of whether the ban gets passed.

There’s also a robust ecosystem of support, including both DJI’s formal support offerings as well as online forums where people trade advice and tips. And DJI’s warranties should continue to be good, helping protect your investment in their technology.

Credit: DJI

Are There Reasons to Hesitate?

Yes, absolutely—especially if money is tight.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• DJI drones are already banned from use by federal agencies. This ban came in the 2024 NDAA. And it’s important because it also means that drone service providers can’t fly DJI drones on federal property. So if you do a lot of work with federal agencies, or if you want to do work with them, you may want to avoid DJI.
• Private companies may not want you to use DJI. The political winds are shifting, and some companies may be worried about the optics of having DJI drones used in their facilities, especially if they work with sensitive infrastructure, like power generation or transportation.
• There is a chance the FCC bans all DJI drones. Again, we don’t think it’s likely, but it is a risk.

DJI Alternatives

Autel is one of the last drone companies still making consumer drones that could be used for commercial purposes. That is, drones of good quality that cost less than $3,000.

But, of course, Autel is a Chinese company, and could soon face the same trouble as DJI.

If you have a bigger budget, there are more commercial drone alternatives to consider. Anzu Robotics’ Raptor, which is essentially a Mavic 3 Enterprise made outside of China, looks promising, though its drones are largely untested.

Also, the DOD’s Blue UAS list has some platforms in the $7,000+ range that we can recommend:

• Skydio’s X2 and X10D
• Parrot’s ANAFI USA
• AgEagle’s eBee TAC
• Freefly Systems’ Alta X
• Teal Drones’ Teal 2

The truth is, we are in uncharted waters right now. But we’re committed to helping you navigate them, and we’ll be doing our best to share up-to-date, useful information about the ban and related developments.