Foreign-Made Drones in the U.S. (2026): A Pragmatic Guide for Arizona and Nevada Operators

If you’ve seen headlines that sound like DJI banned or foreign drones outlawed, you’re not crazy. The messaging has been loud and, in typical fashion, missing the parts that matter most to operators trying to do real work.

Here’s the calm version:

• Most teams can keep flying the drones they already own.

• The real shift is about future model approvals and project-by-project compliance, especially where federal dollars are involved.

• The smart response is not panic-buying or doom-scrolling. It’s fleet planning, documentation, and clear communication with stakeholders.

This post is educational, not legal advice. If your work touches federal contracts, critical infrastructure, or public safety, loop in your counsel and compliance team.

Why ban is an unhelpful word (but the change is real)

In aviation and procurement, ban usually means you can’t use it. That’s not the typical outcome here.

What we’re dealing with is:

1. A supply-side restriction (what can be newly approved and brought to market), and

2. A funding/procurement restriction (what tools can be used on certain projects that rely on federal money).

Same aircraft, different outcomes depending on which rulebook applies to that flight.

Quick myths vs facts

• Myth: All foreign drones are illegal to fly now. Fact: The major changes primarily affect new approvals and certain funded/procured contexts, not grounding everyone.

• Myth: If a drone is fine under FAA rules, it’s automatically fine on any job. Fact: Federal Aviation Administration rules govern flight operations. Contract and funding rules can still restrict what equipment you use.

• Myth: This is only about the aircraft. Fact: Definitions increasingly include critical components: radios, controllers, sensors/cameras, batteries, and software.

The FCC Covered List: the part most people misunderstand

What it is

Many drones and drone components rely on radio equipment that requires FCC equipment authorization before it can be imported, marketed, or sold in the U.S. The Federal Communications Commission Covered List sits inside a national-security framework (codified at 47 U.S.C. §§ 1601–1609) intended to keep certain covered equipment out of U.S. networks.

In plain English: if something is covered, new versions of it can get blocked from approval, which can choke off future models and certain parts.

Who decides what goes on the list?

A key detail: the FCC materials explain that updates flow from a qualifying national-security determination made by Executive Branch agencies with appropriate expertise. So this isn’t a one-week headline. It’s a trend line.

What it is not

The FCC has been clear that adding equipment to the Covered List does not suddenly make already-authorized models illegal to own or use. Most operators are not waking up to a grounded fleet.

What changed in late 2025 and early 2026

1) Categories added to the Covered List (Dec 22, 2025)

In late December 2025, the FCC added foreign-produced uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS critical components to the Covered List, based on an Executive Branch national-security determination. This is broader than just one manufacturer. It’s a category-level move.

The FCC also tied parts of this action to FY2025 NDAA Section 1709, which points to certain communications and video surveillance equipment and services.

2) Temporary carve-outs through January 1, 2027 (Jan 7, 2026 update)

In early January 2026, the FCC updated the Covered List language to temporarily exempt two categories until January 1, 2027:

• UAS and UAS critical components on the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Blue UAS Cleared List

• UAS/UAS critical components that qualify as domestic end products under the Buy American Standard (48 CFR 25.101(a))

3) A case-by-case pathway (Conditional Approvals)

The FCC also describes a pathway for the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to issue Conditional Approvals for specific UAS or components.

The second rulebook: federal funding and procurement restrictions

Even if an aircraft is lawful to fly under FAA rules and is not suddenly illegal because of the FCC Covered List, you can still be restricted from using it on certain federally funded projects.

In late December 2025, restrictions associated with the American Security Drone Act of 2023 (as implemented through the FY2024 NDAA) became effective for many federal and federally assisted contexts. Guidance circulated to agencies and funding recipients emphasizes that contractors and recipients of federal funds may be prohibited from operating, or using federal funds to procure/operate, certain covered foreign-manufactured UAS on those projects.

On the procurement side, federal contracting rules also include clauses around prohibited UAS (for example, FAR 52.240-1, which addresses prohibited unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities). The exact triggers depend on your contract, your funding source, and the agency sponsor.

For Arizona and Nevada teams, the practical pain point is often transportation and infrastructure work: state and local projects with federal pass-through funds, grants, or federally assisted budgets. The same drone that’s fine on a private job can not be allowed on a federal-aid job.

What this means for operators in Arizona and Nevada

Here’s what we’re recommending to clients across construction, engineering, surveying, utilities, and film: treat 2026 as a year of tightening up, not a year of abandoning what works.

1) Inventory your fleet like you actually mean it

If you don’t know what you own, you can’t defend it.

Create a simple register:

• Aircraft make/model, serials, and purchase dates

• Key components (controllers, batteries, payloads)

• Warranty and service providers

• What jobs each aircraft supports (mapping, inspection, thermal, cinematic)

• Which clients or project types have special restrictions (government, defense-adjacent, federally funded)

2) Do a fleet-longevity reality check

Most professional drones live hard lives. Batteries age, controllers get replaced, payloads evolve, and support windows end. Even without regulation changes, many organizations refresh aircraft every 3 to 5 years.

So if your primary workhorse is already near the end of its service life, 2026 is the year to plan a replacement path that keeps you eligible for the projects you want. The goal is not to chase the newest thing. It’s to avoid a scenario where a single failure, or a single procurement restriction, stops your whole workflow.

3) Tag projects by funding source early

At the proposal stage, you want a clear answer to:

• Is any part of this project federally funded or federally assisted?

• Are there contract clauses referencing covered foreign entities, prohibited UAS, or specific procurement rules?

• Are you expected to certify compliance, provide an equipment list, or both?

If you’re subcontracting, ask the prime. If you’re the prime, ask the owner and confirm in writing.

4) Harden your fleet instead of chasing headlines

The more persistent pain point has been service turnaround and parts availability.

A pragmatic response:

• Keep spare props, batteries, and common wear items

• Consider a redundant airframe for your highest-value workflow

• Build service delays into your schedule (especially for time-sensitive inspections)

5) Build a mixed-fleet option without wrecking your workflow

Most organizations don’t need to purge anything overnight. They do need a plan that keeps them eligible for restricted work.

A practical approach:

• Keep your current fleet for private work where allowed

• Identify a compliant pathway for projects that require it (for example, platforms aligned with Blue UAS procurement lanes, where applicable)

• Standardize your data outputs so your deliverables don’t depend on one specific aircraft brand

6) Write down your data handling story (and keep it boring)

When leadership asks is our drone program secure, what they really want is a defensible process.

For many organizations, a baseline policy is enough:

• Define where imagery, logs, and deliverables are stored

• Restrict who can export/share data (least-privilege access)

• Use dedicated project accounts and strong passwords/MFA

• Keep firmware, apps, and controller devices updated

• Document how you handle sensitive sites and critical infrastructure imagery

Security does not have to be dramatic. It just has to exist on paper and in practice.

7) Over-communicate with stakeholders

Headlines create fear. Fear creates policy. Policy creates sudden restrictions mid-project.

So we recommend short, proactive updates to:

• Procurement

• Legal/compliance

• IT/security

• Project owners and PMs

Client-friendly language you can use (copy/paste)

Here’s a simple paragraph we’ve found helpful when clients ask about foreign drones:

Our team is tracking both FCC equipment-authorization developments and federal funding/procurement requirements. In most cases, existing, previously authorized drone models remain usable. For projects with federal funding or specific contract restrictions, we confirm requirements early and deploy compliant equipment and workflows to ensure the deliverables meet project and sponsor standards.

How Extreme Aerial Productions helps

We’re not a drone reseller. We’re a production and aerial data team that lives and dies by delivering results on real deadlines.

Here’s how we support Arizona and Nevada organizations navigating this landscape:

• Project-by-project compliance support: we help you ask the right questions up front so you don’t get surprised after capture.

• Compliant capture options: when your internal fleet is constrained by contract rules, we can deploy the right toolset for the job and deliver clean, auditable outputs.

• Documentation-first operations: flight logs, mission notes, equipment lists, data handling practices, and stakeholder-ready summaries.

• Training and policy support: we help teams tighten SOPs and communicate clearly with leadership and procurement.

We stay humble about the legal stuff: your counsel should make the final calls. Our job is to make sure your operations are prepared, documented, and defensible.

Q&A: Quick Answers We’re Getting in Arizona and Nevada

Is DJI banned in the U.S.?

Not in the everyday sense. Many existing, previously authorized models can still be used. The big constraint is on new approvals and on certain categories of federally funded work.

Can I keep flying the drones I already own?

In most cases, yes. FAA operational rules still apply (airspace, waivers, Remote ID, etc.), but the FCC Covered List action is not designed as a ground-your-current-fleet move.

Can I still buy the same drone model I bought last year?

Sometimes, yes, because existing models already authorized are treated differently than newly introduced models. Availability depends on model status and supply.

What’s a UAS critical component?

Think more than the aircraft. The FCC definition includes components like controllers, communications systems, flight controllers, sensors/cameras, and batteries/battery management systems.

What’s the Blue UAS Cleared List and why does it matter?

It’s a vetted list used in federal procurement contexts. The FCC temporary exemption references the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List, which is one recognized pathway through early 2027.

What if my project has federal funding?

Treat it as a separate compliance lane. American Security Drone Act-related restrictions can apply to contractors and recipients of federal funds on federal and federally assisted projects, even when the drone is lawful to fly under FAA rules.

Does this affect film and TV work in Arizona or Nevada?

Usually not unless you’re working under a government contract, on federal property, or under a sponsor with specific procurement restrictions. When in doubt, confirm requirements before capture.

Can Extreme Aerial Productions help even if we already have an internal drone program?

Yes. We often support internal teams with surge capacity, specialized capture, documentation, or simply helping procurement and compliance teams get comfortable with what’s actually happening.

Next steps

If you’d like a practical fleet + project compliance review for Arizona or Nevada work, we’re happy to help. No drama, no hype, just clear answers and a plan you can execute.

Schedule a Fleet + Compliance Review