Can I Buy This Drone in the US? FCC Covered List Checker

Since 22 December 2025, whether a drone can be sold in the United States has depended on one record: the date its FCC equipment authorization was granted. This US drone ban checker turns that rule into two quick lookups. Choose a model we track, or enter the grant date from any drone’s FCC ID record.

How the US drone ban checker decides

The FCC’s Covered List does not ban flying, and it does not cancel authorizations that already exist. It stops new equipment authorizations. Because a radio-equipped drone needs an authorization before it can be marketed, the list works as a ban on new models rather than on drones already in circulation.

• Foreign-made, authorized before 22 December 2025: can still be imported, sold and flown.
• Foreign-made, not authorized by then: cannot be marketed unless it qualifies for an exemption. The Blue UAS and Buy American “domestic end product” exemptions now run to 1 January 2028, after the FCC extended them on 21 July 2026.
• DJI and Autel: named individually, so no new authorizations for their equipment regardless of where it is assembled.
• US-made: clear, but from 13 October 2026 a new authorization is refused if the device contains a logic-bearing component made by a covered company.
• Pending: two FCC proposals could pull already-authorized products off US shelves. One (PS Docket 26-189) targets foreign “military-grade” drones, including spray drones and those with thermal cameras, LiDAR or docks. The other (PS Docket 26-184) names nine companies, among them XAG and Skyrover maker WaveGo Tech. Results above flag the models affected.

We explain the full reasoning in which drones are banned in the US, and the parts rule in the FCC component rule.

Legal to sell is not the same as on sale

Several results come back as “legal, with a catch”. That category exists because DJI has chosen not to sell some authorized products through its own US store. The Mini 5 Pro, the Neo 2 and the Osmo 360 II all fall into it: nothing in the FCC rules stops a retailer from selling them, but DJI itself does not. We cover that distinction in can you still buy DJI in the US.

How to find a drone’s FCC grant date

• Look for the FCC ID on the aircraft label, inside the battery bay, or in the user manual. It starts with a grantee code (DJI’s is SS3).
• Search that ID in the FCC equipment authorization database or a mirror such as fccid.io.
• Read the grant date on the original grant, not on later permissive changes.
• Enter it in the “By FCC grant date” tab above.

For farms: spray drones

Agricultural drones follow the same test, and the results are less obvious than the headlines suggest. Several DJI Agras models are still legal to sell, two of them under authorizations filed for sister models, while at least one XAG flagship has no US authorization at all. See which spray drones US farmers can still buy.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a US drone ban?

There is a ban on new FCC authorizations for foreign-made drones and critical components, in force since 22 December 2025. Drones authorized before that date can still be sold and flown.

Can I still fly my DJI drone in the US?

Yes. The Covered List does not affect equipment that is already authorized or already owned.

Which DJI drones can I still buy in the US?

Models authorized before 22 December 2025, such as the Neo 2, Mini 5 Pro and the Agras T55 and T100. DJI does not sell some of them through its own US store, so availability depends on third-party sellers and dealers.

Why can’t I buy the DJI Neo 3 or Air 4 in the US?

Neither has an FCC authorization, and new DJI equipment cannot be authorized while DJI is on the Covered List.

Are non-Chinese drones exempt?

No. The December 2025 entry covers drones produced in any foreign country. A non-Chinese import is clear only if it was authorized before the cut-off or qualifies for an exemption.

How often is this checker updated?

Whenever a tracked model’s status changes. The date at the top of the tool shows the last review.