- FCC Goes after Suspected DJI Front Companies
- Several converted DJI-like devices are for sale in the US
- New DJI products were banned in the US last year
Since last December, new DJI devices have been banned in the US because the drone and camera maker is on the covered list – a list of foreign manufacturers deemed to fall below the safety and security standards set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
However, the FCC believes that DJI is sneaking products into the US through front companies with different branding, and it is now taking action: As The Verge reports, eight of these companies have now been hit with fines of $25,000, pending further investigations by the authorities.
The companies in question are Cogito Tech, Fikaxo Technology, Lyno Dynamics, Skyhigh, Spatial Hover, SZ Knowact Robot, WaveGo Tech and Xtra Technology. You can check out the range of Cogito Tech drones on their website here and decide for yourself how much they do or don’t resemble DJI’s offerings.
Xtra Technology also has a website that showcases its vlogging cameras: As noted by The Verge, the company is promoting an Xtra Muse 2 Pro camera with the tagline “from Pocket to Pro,” which bears more than a passing resemblance to the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P.
Knocks down
These companies have so far failed to respond to questions from the FCC, and it appears that the regulator is now stepping up its efforts to get some answers. Some of the testing labs these devices pass through are also being targeted.
The Verge also reports that gadgets previously approved for sale before the ban took effect have now disappeared from the FCC website — gadgets including the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Pro. However, there is no indication that DJI products already sold in the US will stop working or be recalled.
In order for any electronic device that uses radio frequencies to be sold in the US, from phones to drones, it must be approved by the FCC — which is why we get so many detailed hardware leaks from FCC filings. Any company on the covered list will not get that approval, essentially meaning their products are banned.
While DJI has been vocal in calling its ban unfair, it hasn’t commented on the allegations surrounding these alleged front companies so far — and it appears the companies themselves aren’t being forthcoming either. We’ve reached out to DJI for comment on the report and will update this story if we hear back.
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