The FCC is cracking down on DJI’s technology that led to the foreign drone ban

Last year, we told you about Xtrathe company that allows DJI to sneak its famous cameras in the US, and Skyrover, brand is seen selling DJI drones secretly. They are just two of the many companies that DJI is suspected of launching banning flights outside the United States.

But it appears that the FCC is taking action against “DJI’s front companies,” as observer Konrad Iturbe called them last year. Today, the FCC they are paying eight of them $25,000 each – and giving them until Monday, July 20, 10 calendar days, to respond to the FCC’s questions before the agency takes action.

Those companies include Cogito Tech, Fixaxo Technology, Lyno Dynamics, Skyhigh Tech, Spatial Hover, SZ Knowact (the company behind Skyrover), WaveGo Tech, and Xtra Technology. Both are being fined because they did not respond to the FCC’s letters in the first place.

In order to import, sell, and sell any device in the United States that uses radios, you need the FCC to approve the device’s radio frequency — but on December 22The FCC added all foreign carriers to its Covered list, which prevents the FCC from issuing licenses to those companies because they are considered national security threats.

Last year, the FCC did too He gave himself the power to retroactively ban drugs which has already been made through legal means, even if it contains components from a banned company. It doesn’t have to be a drone: if the camera has a DJI radio transmitter, the FCC can ban its sale, import, and marketing in the US.

This year, the FCC began asking each of these companies if they are marketing radio equipment in the United States that is on the Cover List, and so far not a single one has responded.

Seasidein turn, he repeatedly asked DJI last year to confirm whether he had a relationship with several of these companies, and he reached out to many companies individually without answers. DJI cannot confirm or deny whether the Xtra and the Skyrover, for example, are classified DJI products. When we tested the Xtra camera against the DJI onewe found it to be too similar to be called a “simulation.”

The FCC also appears to be crediting the Verge’s story in its investigation, which is good to see:

Xtra is probably the most shamed of the “front companies” at the moment. We’ve seen the company promote promotional videos that favorably compare the Xtra Muse to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, and it is currently taking $20 deposits for the “Xtra Muse 2 Pro” which appears to be a DJI Pocket 4 Pro in disguise, using the slogan “From Pocket to Pro” among other ad shows-wink-wink-wink.

But DJI is no longer able to deliver this camera anywhere in the United States. While DJI managed to get the Osmo Pocket 4 Pro through the FCC on November 26, before the ban, and Xtra managed to complete it on June 17, even more records appear in FCC searches now.

Here’s the message that pops up when you click on Xtra’s FCC file:

We have been seeing this same message for weeks.

In addition, the FCC may interfere lab test which helped get these products through the FCC’s certification process. DJI Osmo Pocket 4 and 4 Pro used SGS-CTST Standards Technical Services Co, as well as WaveGo Tech. On May 11we are now learning, the FCC has announced its intention to ban SGS as an accredited testing lab, because:

SGS Shenzhen is under 15% ownership by China Standard Science & Technology Group Company Limited, which is wholly owned by the China National Institute of Standardization. The US Department of Commerce, citing multiple Executive Branch sources, has determined that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is a foreign enemy.

DJI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the FCC’s action.