FCC moves to revoke drone authorizations over falsified U.S. production claims

This enforcement surge signals that the FCC is moving from policy drafting to aggressive verification of the Covered List. By targeting individual vendors and the labs they use, the agency is effectively closing loopholes used by foreign entities to bypass import bans on critical streaming and communication hardware. For the streaming industry, this underscores a critical supply chain risk: hardware authorizations are no longer permanent and can be retroactively voided if underlying testing or origin certifications fail independent audits. Stakeholders should monitor the July 31 response deadline to see if Odyssey can provide tangible manufacturing logs or if its market access will be terminated.

The FCC's latest actions stem from a significant policy expansion in late 2025. Per Holland & Knight (July 2026), the agency added all foreign-produced drones and their critical components to its 'Covered List' on December 22, 2025, effectively banning the authorization of new equipment from companies like DJI and Autel. This move, rooted in the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act, was a strategic escalation intended to block the importation of foreign-made uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) that could be used for espionage or sabotage against U.S. infrastructure.

While new foreign-made models are restricted, the FCC has allowed significant leeway for existing fleets. Per DroneDJ (May 2026), the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) extended a waiver allowing previously authorized DJI and Autel drones to continue receiving essential firmware and security updates through at least January 1, 2029. This extension was granted to prevent the creation of unpatched cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the millions of drones already operational across public safety and enterprise sectors, even as the ban on new device imports remains strictly in force.

Beyond drones, the FCC is systematically purging foreign-controlled laboratories from the equipment certification pipeline. Per Kharon (September 2025) and regular agency updates through May 2026, the FCC has finalized rules to prohibit any test lab owned or controlled by 'foreign adversary' governments from certifying electronics for the U.S. market. Given that an estimated 75% of U.S.-bound electronics have historically been tested in Chinese facilities, these moves against labs like Shenzhen STS represent a foundational shift that forces manufacturers to relocate their compliance workflows to domestic or allied territories.