The US Federal Communications Commission has escalated Washington’s crackdown on Chinese drones, adding major manufacturers and foreign-made components to a national security blacklist.

The FCC said it has added China’s DJI, Autel and other foreign-made drones and components to its “Covered List”, barring approval of new drone models or parts for import or sale in the United States.

The designation prevents affected companies from obtaining FCC authorisation required to market new products but does not ban the use or sale of previously approved or purchased devices.

The move follows years of scrutiny over Chinese drones. In September, the US Commerce Department said it planned new rules to restrict Chinese drone imports.

DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, said it was disappointed by the decision. “While DJI was not singled out, no information has been released regarding what information was used by the Executive Branch in reaching its determination,” the company said.

The FCC said consumers can continue to legally use drones already purchased.

DJI previously said that being added to the Covered List would effectively ban it from offering new drone models in the United States. The company sells more than half of U.S. commercial drones.

The FCC said it received the results of a White House-convened, executive-branch interagency review of the risks of foreign drones on Sunday, which found that imported drones and components pose security risks "given the threats from unauthorized surveillance, sensitive data exfiltration, supply chain vulnerabilities, and other potential threats to the homeland."

The review said the Pentagon could make future determinations that specific drones or classes of drone do not pose risks and remove them from the restrictions.

In June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to reduce U.S. reliance on Chinese drone companies. Sebastian Gorka, senior director of counterterrorism at the National Security Council, said the action was part of ensuring that drones are made in the United States. "Drones are a large part of America’s future security. They must be made in the USA," he wrote on X Monday.

DJI said earlier this month that "more than 80% of the nation’s 1,800+ state and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies that operate drone programs use DJI technology; these programs will be at immediate risk if they no longer have access to the most cost effective and efficient drone technology available." Trump and the FCC both cited the upcoming Olympics and the World Cup and concerns about drone misuse.

Republican Representative Rick Crawford praised the decision, saying "the use of Chinese-made drones, with widespread access over the U.S. airspace, has been a counterintelligence nightmare for years ... we cannot compromise our national security in exchange for cheap goods intended to flood the U.S. market." Chinese manufacturer Hikvision filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia earlier this month, challenging the FCC decision to block new approvals for devices with parts from companies on its Covered List and let the agency bar previously approved equipment in some instances.

In September, a U.S. judge rejected a bid by DJI to be removed from the U.S. Defense Department’s list of companies allegedly working with Beijing’s military.