WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Brendan Carr applauding his recent announcement of an upcoming FCC vote that could prohibit the sale or operation of technological equipment from adversarial nations like Communist China. Senator Scott has been working for years to get drones manufactured in Communist China out of our nation, military, and government due to the risks they pose to our national security, and fought successfully to include an amendment in the FY 2025 NDAA that works to phase out licenses for new drone technology from companies like DJI and Autel Robotics, the former of which continuously evades oversight by reincorporating with new shell companies. In the letter, Senator Scott urges the commission to take swift and decisive action to implement this provision and take action against Chinese drone manufacturers that continue to pose a threat to America’s national security.

Read the letter to Chairman Brendan Carr HERE or below:

Dear Chairman Carr:

First and foremost, I wish to commend you for your October 6 announcement regarding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s forthcoming vote on a new order to prohibit the import or sale of previously authorized equipment on the FCC’s Covered List. This initiative represents an important step toward strengthening our nation’s supply chain security and closing regulatory gaps that could otherwise permit the continued entry of high-risk adversarial technology into U.S. markets.

As part of the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, I fought to include a provision (Section 1709) to require a congressional-mandated investigation into Chinese drone manufacturers such as DJI and Autel Robotics (including their subsidiaries, affiliates, and partners) and create a statutory framework for more aggressive scrutiny of foreign-controlled equipment that could threaten U.S. national security. I have been working to get this dangerous technology out of our military and government for years, and the FCC’s forthcoming order could help operationalize my efforts in Section 1709 by providing a regulatory path to revoke authorizations for equipment posing unacceptable security risks.

We have seen a consistent pattern from DJI and other Chinese-manufactured businesses of evading U.S. laws and regulations by continuously reestablishing under different shell companies or subsidiaries to avoid detection. Recent stories highlighting the latest of DJI’s efforts to establish shell companies further underscore the necessity for the impending FCC order. In one purported case, DJI logos were found in FCC documentation for a days-old company named Lyno Dynamics, LLC. Such tactics clearly undermine both the intent and effectiveness of U.S. law.

Accordingly, I respectfully urge the commission to:

1. Exercise any available authority under the new order to rescind, at a bare minimum, all existing equipment authorizations for DJI and Autel Robotics devices issued since the enactment of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, including any approved under proxy entities;
2. Deny any licenses to devices that utilize components3, software, or subsystems sourced from DJI, Autel, or its subsidiaries; and
3. Strengthen corporate disclosure requirements, as possible, in FCC filings to prevent shell companies from concealing ultimate ownership or control.

Lastly, I wish to thank you for your outstanding leadership in protecting our nation’s capacity to build up a robust domestic drone industry. For years, I have worked to reduce the United States’ dependence on foreign suppliers, especially Communist China, for critical drone technologies. Our work to address this will not only strengthen national security but also bolster American industry, create high-quality jobs, and ensure that future generations of drones are designed and built according to trusted standards. We can reclaim our leadership in the global drone market, and this new proposed order can be an integral part of that effort.

Thank you for your consideration of my requests and your continued leadership in protecting America’s communications networks and advancing our economic and national security interests. I am here to support your efforts and would appreciate a response by COB October 27, 2025.

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