The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has halted some drone imports from Chinese manufacturer DJI, citing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
DJI has confirmed in a letter to distributors that a “customs-related issue” is preventing the import of some of its drones. As a result, DJI’s latest Air 3S drone which promises to beat the Mavic 3 Pro’s video quality won’t be offered at retail to U.S. shoppers for the time being.
The Customs cited the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) as a reason for the blockage, which DJI says is “part of a broader initiative by the Department of Homeland Security to scrutinize the origins of products, particularly in the case of Chinese-made drones.”
The Chinese company denied the accusation of using forced labor in drone manufacture, calling them “unsubstantiated and categorically false” and saying that “no forced labor is involved at any stage of our manufacturing process.” The company said it has no manufacturing facilities in China’s Xinjiang province, nor does it source materials from that region. “All of our manufacturing is based in Shenzhen, where our company is headquartered, or Malaysia.” The company is “actively working” with U.S. Customs to prove its compliance with UFLPA and resolve the issue provided the authorities “judge it fairly and efficiently.”
DJI believes the import block has nothing to do with the Countering CCP Drones Act, a proposed law seeking to restrain the influence and reach of Chinese-made technology. The U.S. Senate hasn’t passed this bill, but probably will, because the House of Representatives has already approved it. The only question is when, before or after the US presidental election in November.
If the bill is passed, it will effectively prohibit DJI from importing, marketing, or selling its drones in the United States. Any existing DJI drones already operating in the country will (probably) be unaffected if the bill does get passed. Uncle Sam is concerned that DJI drones could be used for spying and provide the Chinese government with valuable data collection. The company has vehemently denied such accusations repeatedly, saying it’s not a military company.
“We remain one of few drone companies to clearly denounce and actively discourage the use of our drones in combat,” DJI wrote on its website in July. “DJI does not manufacture military-grade equipment, nor does it pursue business opportunities for combat use or operations. Although DJI doesn’t want to see its drones used in armed warfare, that hasn’t stopped its Mavic drones from being purchased in the thousands by the Ukrainian military.
DJI sells more than half of its drones in the United States, saying they “have helped numerous public safety agencies save lives and keep first responders safe.”
Source: Reuters
