Florida authorities have completely banned government agencies from using DJI drones

US authorities have been fighting the use of Chinese-made drones by government agencies for several years. Gradually, the government has restricted the use of drones from the Middle Kingdom, and now a total ban has come into force in Florida.

Here's What We Know

Government agencies in Florida can no longer use Chinese-made drones. First and foremost, we're talking about DJI products, which have about 70% of the quadcopter market.

The bill was filed in 2020, passed in 2021 and went into effect this week. Some of the rules have been in place before. For example, pictures and videos from Chinese drones could be viewed in public. In addition, there were special requirements regarding the storage of UAVs.

Authorities believe that Chinese quadcopters can collect information and send it to the PRC government. Government agencies in Florida will be able to use drones from Parrot, Skydio, Altavia, Teal and Vantage Robotics.

Police and fire services are not too happy with the ban. They have been using DJI drones in their operations for some time now, and claim it is difficult to find a decent replacement with suitable functionality and a decent price.

DJI has already commented on the Florida authorities' decision. The company has stated that the software and quadcopters have passed all sorts of tests and certifications from the Department of the Interior and the US Chamber of Commerce.

Source: DroneDJ