DJI

An investigative report by Tibet Watch, with research support from C4ADS, analyzed Chinese government procurement tenders, contract awards, police bulletins, flight bans, and training records to document an extensive drone surveillance and counter-drone network built across the Tibet Autonomous Region. Security agencies from regional anti-terror units down to county police stations have acquired DJI equipment, with pilots trained for 'stability maintenance' (weiwen) - the CCP term for suppressing dissent - echoing DJI's 2017 training of police in Xinjiang for similar purposes. The report found authorities closed airspace over Lhasa and four other prefecture-level areas to unapproved flights and, since May 2026, require all newly manufactured drones in China to be registered to the owner's identity.

The US Federal Communications Commission designated DJI as a national security threat and banned its communications equipment from use in the United States in December 2025.

DJI donated drones and technical support for search and rescue operations during Hurricane Helene, enabling first responders to locate survivors and assess damage in areas inaccessible by ground.

Over 900 US public safety organizations deploy DJI drones for search and rescue, with at least 278 people rescued from peril worldwide according to DJI's Drone Rescue Map. Notable examples include finding a missing autistic child in 13 minutes using thermal imaging during a thunderstorm. DJI's Disaster Relief Program provides drone technology to first responders during wildfires, hurricanes, and floods. During Hurricane Helene, StormPoint mapped 3,700+ acres of flood-affected areas using DJI drones. In agriculture, 400,000 DJI drones are used globally, saving approximately 222 million tons of water and reducing 30.87 million tons of carbon emissions.

The US Commerce Department added DJI to its Entity List in December 2020, restricting American companies from selling technology to DJI, citing the company's role in enabling surveillance and human rights abuses in China.

In December 2020, DJI was added to the US Commerce Department Entity List due to its role in enabling surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. The US Army had already banned DJI drones in 2017. In 2021 the Treasury added investment restrictions, and in 2022 the DoD added DJI to its PLA-linked company list. A January 2024 CISA/FBI bulletin cited data collection risks and China's National Intelligence Law requiring company cooperation with state intelligence. DJI controls approximately 80% of the US commercial drone market. In December 2025 the FCC banned new DJI models from obtaining authorization.

DJI drones were procured by Chinese public security bureaus in Xinjiang for surveillance of Uyghur population, with over $300,000 in documented procurement records linking DJI equipment to the region's mass surveillance infrastructure.

DJI developed and deployed FlightHub geofencing technology that automatically restricts drone operations near airports, government buildings, and other sensitive areas, setting an industry standard for drone safety.