# FCC Adds Pentagon Letters to Drone Reviews

The Federal Communications Commission added redacted, unclassified cover pages of Department of War letters to its proceedings involving DJI and Autel Robotics, while keeping the classified correspondence sealed. The FCC said it did not rely on the letters for the relevant Covered List additions, so the filing creates no new ban and does not change the current status of either company. Unresolved reviews and a separate rulemaking could still affect U.S. access to foreign-made drones and related technologies, which matters to agencies and contractors that procure or depend on these products.

- Agencies and contractors should not treat this filing as a new restriction; it does not change the current Covered List status.
- Organizations sourcing DJI or Autel products can distinguish the current status from the potential effects of the pending reviews and separate rulemaking when assessing procurement and technology dependencies.
- The proceedings are relevant to future market access for foreign-made drones and related technologies, but the signal specifies no contract opportunity, deadline, or immediate procurement action.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Information Technology
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 16, 2026

### Government Entities
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- Department of War (DoW)
- FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau

### Vendors
- SZ DJI Technology (DJI) (Party challenging its inclusion on the Covered List)
- Autel Robotics (Party seeking review of the FCC's actions)

### Sources
- [FCC adds Pentagon letters to DJI and Autel drone ban records](https://dronedj.com/2026/10/15/fcc-dji-ban-pentagon-letters) - DroneDJ