The FCC Covered List, nine months on: new DJI and HoverAir drones skip the US

Nine months after the US Federal Communications Commission added foreign-produced uncrewed aircraft systems and their critical components to its Covered List, the practical effect is visible in what American buyers are not being offered. DJI's entry-level Lito series launched in Europe in April 2026 with no US release, and the FCC set aside the equipment authorisation for HOVERAir's Versa flying camera in August 2026, three days after the product went on sale worldwide. DroneXL reported on 18 September 2026 that all six configurations of one DJI accessory line read "Out of Stock" on DJI's own US store.

What the Covered List does, and what it does not do

On 22 December 2025 the FCC added foreign-made drones and UAS critical components to its Covered List, acting on Section 1709 of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. DRONELIFE reported the Commission's finding that such systems pose "unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States".

The designation is narrower than the word "ban" suggests. It blocks new equipment authorisations. It does not ground aircraft already owned, and it does not withdraw authorisations granted before the designation, so retailers may continue to import and sell previously approved models. An exception route exists where the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security determines that a specific system poses no risk.

The constraint therefore falls on new product lines. A radio-transmitting device cannot be lawfully imported, marketed or sold in the United States without an FCC equipment authorisation, and a manufacturer covered by the designation can no longer obtain one.

The aircraft US buyers have not been offered

DJI announced the Lito series on 23 April 2026 — two sub-250 g folding camera drones that DJI's own support documentation names as the DJI Lito X1 and the DJI Lito 1. UAV Coach reported European pricing of €339 for the Lito 1 and €419 for the Lito X1, with a 1/2-inch sensor on the Lito 1, a 1/1.3-inch sensor and forward-facing lidar on the Lito X1, and up to 36 minutes of flight time on both. Neither model was given a US price or a US release date.

The pattern is not new. DroneDJ reported the same outcome for the Mavic 4 Pro in May 2025, when the flagship of the line documented on our DJI Mavic series page shipped internationally while US buyers were left without an official route to it.

The August 2026 HOVERAir case shows the rule reaching beyond complete aircraft. HOVERAir opened worldwide orders for the Versa — a 230 g gimbal camera that clips into a separate propeller chassis to fly — stating it held FCC approval. The FCC told DroneXL that the authorisation "was granted erroneously", that the device is "a prohibited UAS critical component produced in a foreign country", and that the company was directed to stop importing, marketing or selling it in the United States. The grant was removed from the public database.

What this means if you are buying a drone in the United States

Three consequences follow for a US buyer.

• Existing models remain legal to buy and fly. An aircraft authorised before 22 December 2025 — the sub-250 g machines catalogued on our DJI Mini series page among them — is unaffected in itself, subject to the usual FAA registration and Remote ID rules.
• The catalogue stops advancing. DJI told the Ninth Circuit in April 2026 that nine of its non-drone products were already blocked and 25 further 2026 launches were in limbo, according to DroneXL. Each generation that does not reach the US widens the gap between what American pilots can buy and what is sold elsewhere.
• Stock becomes the limiting factor. Where a manufacturer cannot authorise a successor, the supply of an existing model is finite; DroneXL's 18 September observation of an empty US storefront is the visible form of that.

Buyers who need a platform with a documented US supply chain are looking at a different part of the market. The ANAFI USA, built by Parrot and selected by the US Defense Innovation Unit, is positioned for professional and public-safety work rather than as a consumer camera drone.

What happens next

The proceeding is still live. DroneXL reported that operators filed 3,770 comments against the restrictions to 16 in favour in FCC docket 26-189. The Commission has continued to develop the rules through further orders covering components and software rather than revisiting the December 2025 designation itself.

For the directory, the effect is that a growing share of current production from DJI and its peers is documented as a product sold in Europe and Asia but not in North America. That regional split is now a standing feature of the consumer drone market.

Frequently asked questions

Does the FCC Covered List make my existing DJI drone illegal to fly?

No. The designation blocks new equipment authorisations. Aircraft already owned, and models authorised before 22 December 2025, are not withdrawn by it. Normal FAA rules on registration, Remote ID and airspace still apply.

Can US retailers still sell DJI drones?

Yes, for models the FCC had already authorised before the designation. What retailers cannot do is import or market models that have never received an authorisation, which is why newer lines such as the Lito series have no US listing.

Why was the HOVERAir Versa treated differently from a complete drone?

The Covered List entry covers UAS critical components as well as complete aircraft. The FCC classified the Versa camera module as a prohibited UAS critical component produced in a foreign country, bringing a device that is not itself an aircraft into scope.

Is there a route for a covered manufacturer to sell a new model in the US?

The framework allows an exception where the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security determines that a specific system does not pose a risk. None of the sources below records a consumer model clearing it.