U.S. agriculture drone services may be disrupted if a proposed ban on Chinese drone maker DJI becomes law. DJI has already been flagged by the Department of Defense (DoD) as a Chinese military company (CMC).

DJI faces further restrictions under the Countering CCP Drones Act. This prohibits its devices from the U.S. communication infrastructure. In September, the House of Representatives passed the Countering CCP Drones Act. The legislation would essentially place a domestic ban on DJI devices. A final decision may not arrive until 2025 with the new Congress, but the potential ban threatens DJI’s dominance in the agricultural drone market.

Purdue University reports only 9% of agricultural drone services make money. The drone industry requires deregulation to enable larger, more intelligent, efficient drones. If DJI is banned, U.S. policymakers could support domestic alternatives to ensure drones evolve from recreational gadgets into essential agricultural tools.

Read more about the potential ban on DJI drones here.