U.S. regulators have exempted four foreign-made drone systems and related components from an import ban after determining they do not pose national security risks, marking the first significant carve-out since restrictions were imposed last year.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said on March 18 it updated its “Covered List” to remove specific uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) following a determination by the Department of War.
The agency said the devices had received “conditional approval” after a security review.
The models approved include SiFly Aviation’s Q12, Mobilicom’s SkyHopper systems, ScoutDI’s Scout 137, and Verge’s X1. The exemptions do not apply to major Chinese manufacturers, including DJI, which dominates the U.S. commercial drone market….