FCC opens a narrow import lane for Chinese 'toy' drones, but not the DJI Neo
New models of low-capability Chinese drones can be imported again under a June 16 FCC decision, but reporting suggests the thresholds exclude anything most pilots would actually want.
By Joel Kelly
Decision brief
Existing DJI aircraft remain legal to own and fly. The carve-out changes the import path only for genuinely toy-grade models, so buyers still need to judge current stock and long-term support.
The FCC said on June 16 that it will allow new models of Chinese toy drones to be imported into the United States. Reuters described it as the first loosening of the import posture since DJI and other Chinese manufacturers were added to the FCC's Covered List in December 2025.
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The carve-out is narrow. DroneXL's analysis of the capability thresholds concludes they are tight enough that even the DJI Neo, DJI's 135-gram palm-launch selfie drone, does not qualify. That means the lane exists for genuinely toy-grade aircraft rather than the camera drones most affected by the Covered List.
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For buyers, this doesn't change the picture we laid out in our DJI ban explainer: existing DJI drones remain legal to own and fly, new-model imports remain blocked above toy-grade thresholds, and authorized-dealer stock of current models continues to deplete. If you're shopping in 2026, the practical question is still 'what's actually available and supported,' not 'what's technically banned.'
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