July 11, 2025
FROM CONGRESSWOMAN STEFANIK: House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR) requested the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) expedite a national security review of Chinese drone manufacturers pursuant to Section 1709 of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Chairwoman Stefanik secured provisions in the FY25 NDAA requiring CCP-drone manufacturers DJI, Autel Robotics, and their subsidiaries and affiliates to be placed on the FCC’s Covered List within a year of the passage of the act unless a national security agency determines they do not pose an unacceptable national security risk.
The request comes after President Trump’s Executive Order that emphasized U.S. leadership in drone technology, stressed the need for secure domestic production and supply chains, and recognized the importance of minimizing undue foreign influence. Given the substantial market presence and existing use of equipment from DJI Technologies, Autel Robotics, and related entities in the United States, a comprehensive and expedited review under Section 1709 is particularly critical.
