Wingtra’s updated guide to US drone regulations
News ticker
[Jan 8, 2026] Blue-listed drones are a secure ticket for operations
[Jan 7, 2026] Supporting FCC Public Notice
What is the Chinese drone ban?
On Dec 22, 2025, the two-year transition period of the American Security Drone Act (ASDA) ended.
As of now, DJI and other Chinese-made drones are banned from all federal projects and cannot be procured or used where federal funding is involved (agencies, contractors, universities, grants, etc.).
This far-reaching ban creates immediate urgency for federal agencies, contractors, universities, and many other organizations to refresh their fleets to stay compliant.
How is this related to the FCC covered list?
On Dec 22, 2025, the “FCC Covered List” was updated to include “UAS and UAS critical components produced in a foreign country.” This created uncertainty and confusion in the market.
However, on January 7th, 2025, the FCC released a public notice stating that Blue-listed drones had been removed from the covered list.
This news of a sweeping restriction on all foreign drones was initially jarring and confusing for people. However, we now see that those with compliance relationships with the FCC and the US government maintain their standing and continue business as usual.
Along these lines, it is business as usual for Wingtra to work closely with the government and ensure all current and future products are vetted and stamped FCC compliant.
Can I use Wingtra now (and into the future)?
In an era of regulatory uncertainty, US surveyors need more than just a ‘legal’ solution—they need what they have always sought after: a superior product they can rely on for the long haul. Because our entire R&D power is—and always has been—invested exclusively in drone surveying, Wingtra offers a level of purpose-built quality that general-purpose systems cannot match.
While the landscape around us shifts, our focus remains unchanged: providing the specialized tools you need to keep working with absolute confidence. A huge part of this is keeping our system fully compliant in our main markets—the US being the top one of all.
Wingtra has been working with the FCC, FAA (Cat. 3 OOP), DCMA (Blue list), and others for nearly 10 years to create fully certified products for the US market. Over the next decade, Wingtra will do whatever it takes to continue delivering fully certified products to serve customers in the US—our most important market.
We are fluent in and deeply understand the implications of current FCC and FHWA 25 (New FCC Reg), NDAA FY24 and ASDA 23. Our senior leaders and regulations experts communicate directly with government officials on a regular basis.
This is the closest you can get to maintaining compliance across your investments into aerial surveying.
So customers and partners can be confident that investing in our system, and importing and selling it, respectively, are safe moves to make. For customers working on government and federal projects, the move is more than safe, it’s also sound for business and future-proof operation.
As we have been working consistently to Blue-list all of our products, the most recent announcement that this list is exempt from the FCC covered list grounds the above statement in dependable truth.
It’s worth it to note that if the DoD has vetted a system thoroughly and lists it as pre-approved to work on sensitive, government-related projects, that system has proven itself not only safe, secure, but also vital to the country’s interests.
Q&A
Q: What does the ASDA say?
The American Security Drone Act of 2023 prohibits the use of Chinese drones on all federal projects and in any activity involving federal funds as per Sec. 1824 & 1825 in the NDAA FY 24.
Which drones are included?
All Chinese drones, both existing and new models, are affected because they are products of a covered foreign entity under the law.
Which customers are affected?
- Government and commercial customers that touch federal projects or funding.
- Even the remaining 30% of customers continue to face import controls for DJI. enterprise products, making it difficult to obtain products and replacement parts.
- The consumer drone space is not affected by this ban.
The legislation is two years old—why is it relevant now?
The law included a two-year transition period, which ended on Dec 22, 2025.
Federal agencies and prime contractors already began the transition, but urgency has sharply increased because it is now illegal under FAR 52.240-1, creating liability risk.
Politicians are actively pressing contractors to comply, as highlighted in the public letter from Sen. Hassan to Hensel Phelps.
Is this likely to change again?
No. The restrictions are written into law, effectively ending the use of DJI and other Chinese drones in U.S. infrastructure surveying and construction.
What does this mean for your surveying drone sales in 2026?
A strong tailwind: Chinese drones are no longer viable for most government-linked and federally funded projects, pushing customers to replace their fleets with compliant alternatives.
For mapping and surveying applications the WingtraRAY is the tool of choice.
FCC Covered List (NDAA FY25, Sec. 1709):
Why is Wingtra’s current product portfolio not affected?
- Existing Wingtra products already have valid FCC equipment authorizations.
- The FCC has official removed Blue-listed drones and products from its covered list, and we are Blue-listed.
- The update does not prohibit the import, sale, or use of previously authorized models. See language in the fact sheet: “This update to the Covered List does not prohibit the import, sale, or use of any existing device models the FCC previously authorized.”
- As expected, we also didn’t see any disruptions or delays for importation or customs clearance.
Why was every UAS manufacturer, including domestic ones, on the covered list initially?
- The FCC formulation covers “Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and critical components produced in a foreign country.”
- Critical components (e.g., cameras, tablets, batteries) are broadly defined on the last page here, affecting every major US manufacturer we know.
How will Wingtra certify future products?
Wingtra will continue to obtain FCC certification through the standard equipment authorization process, as in the past.
What will happen next?
- The situation is evolving and should become clearer in the coming weeks.
- As this is an FCC regulation (not a law passed by Congress), adjustments are expected — for example, a general exemption for all Blue-listed products.
- We also anticipate more clarity on how new FCC approvals will be granted to any manufacturer.