As new foreign-made drones from brands like DJI remain effectively blocked from entering the US market, FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty is publicly defending the agency’s controversial decision to expand its “Covered List” of allegedly unsecure equipment to include foreign-manufactured drones and critical drone components.
Speaking at the SCSP AI+ Expo on Thursday, Trusty framed drones and artificial intelligence as the next major technological battleground — one where America cannot afford to fall behind or rely on foreign supply chains.
“The question before us today,” Trusty said, “is who will write the rules of a connected and intelligent airspace for drones and other aerial systems.”
Her speech comes at a sensitive moment for the US drone industry. New drones from DJI — still the dominant global consumer drone maker — have struggled to reach American customers amid growing regulatory scrutiny, customs issues, and FCC-related uncertainty. The FCC’s expansion of its Covered List last year intensified fears that Chinese-made drone technology could eventually face broader restrictions in critical infrastructure and government-related operations. Trusty made clear she believes those actions are necessary.
