DJI ‘remains committed to the US market' as shelves go bare of drones
Is DJI exiting the US drone market? The company says no — but it would not explain to The Verge what has changed such that it can't even keep a single drone on shelves.
When I walked into my local Best Buy store today, June 24th, there were zero DJI drones available to purchase. There wasn't even an empty spot for each drone to go. The entire DJI aisle had been swept clean of price tags, lockers, and products — save a handful of motorized gimbals, action cameras, a single lone RC controller, and an almost empty premium endcap spot where a flagship drone would normally go.
'We're not really carrying DJI drones anymore because of the US-China thing,' a store employee told me.
Best Buy is not alone. DJI's own US webstore no longer has any drones in stock, as DroneDJ reported Monday. Despite DJI having an official presence on Amazon, all remaining drones there are sold by third parties with low or unknown quantities of stock. Nor will Best Buy's website be much more help than its physical store: As of Tuesday, its only remaining DJI drones are the last-gen Mavic 3 Pro, priced at $3,890, a refurbished version of that same Mavic 3 Pro, and a refurbished version of the 2022 DJI Avata. DJI has already released successors for both.
Even Adorama and B&H, the specialty camera stores, appear to be running low on late-model DJI drones. As of Tuesday, most current-gen drones were listed as 'temporarily on backorder' or 'temporarily out of stock,' save this specific model of the DJI Air 3S, these two specific models of the DJI Flip, and some variants of the budget DJI Neo.
What's going on? DJI spokesperson Daisy Kong shared the same explanation DJI's been sharing for the past eight months, accusing US Customs of unfairly scrutinizing its drone imports. Here's the latest version:
DJI remains committed to the US market. As we've previously shared, DJI has been working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to resolve a custom-related misunderstanding. Unfortunately, this has impacted our ability to stock and import drones and parts. We understand the frustration among our customers, but remain hopeful that this will be resolved.
When we asked DJI whether any other factor might be responsible — like the US's tariffs on China, or China's own export controls that have reportedly seen drone component prices triple for US buyers — the company had no further comment. Companies like DJI have been wary of blaming either country's leaders.
In October 2024, DJI told its partners the 'misunderstanding' was that US Customs and Border Protection had citing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) as a reason to stop DJI drones from being imported into the United States, following reports that DJI allegedly provided drones to the Chinese government so it could conduct surveillance of Uyghurs. (The Verge has not independently confirmed those reports, DJI has denied it manufactures anything in Xinjiang where China employs forced labor, and DJI is not a listed entity under the UFLPA.)
It's worth noting we've only ever heard DJI's side of that story, though: to our knowledge, US Customs and Border Protection has never commented on blocking DJI's drone imports. CBP didn't respond to The Verge's request for comment last year, and it didn't immediately have a response today.
Best Buy denied to The Verge that it is no longer carrying DJI drones, without offering any further explanation. A company spokesperson, responding anonymously from Best Buy's press email address, did not provide a name when we asked.
If DJI did decide to proactively exit the US drone market, or if Best Buy did decide to proactively cut ties, it wouldn't be all that surprising. The company has less than six months before a de facto ban on all its new products entering the United States, unless it can convince the US government to 1) audit the company, and 2) get that audit to positively confirm that the dronemaker doesn't pose a national security threat. That's a very high bar.
In February, DJI's head of public policy suggested that in the event of a US ban, DJI could continue to sell current products in the US while it offers new products elsewhere, in an interview with The Verge. But that is already happening ahead of a potential ban. In May, the company skipped the US with its most advanced drone yet, the Mavic 4 Pro.
In addition to drones themselves, DJI's support website is now warning that it may take 60-90 days for repairs. And in May, we reported how DJI's back-to-back price hikes took the popular Osmo Pocket 3 camera from $519 to $799 in just two months. There, DJI was willing to say that US-China tariffs were 'among the key considerations.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
22 minutes ago
- Fast Company
These are the top 10 emerging technologies of 2025, according to the World Economic Forum
Breakthroughs happen all the time in the tech world, but only a select few manage to make a lasting impact. Predicting which innovations will shape the future is always a challenge. On Tuesday, the World Economic Forum (WEF) released its list of the top 10 emerging technologies of 2025, highlighting those expected to influence global challenges within the next three to five years. The list, compiled with the help of Frontiers Media, a publisher of peer-reviewed scientific journals, avoids naming specific companies. Instead, the WEF focuses on concepts that are both novel and nearing maturity, with the potential to deliver meaningful benefits to society. Here's what the WEF sees as being on the path to a breakthrough in 2025. Advanced nuclear tech Demand for nuclear energy is on the rise, with the Trump administration pledging to fast-track permits for nuclear projects. The WEF predicts that smaller nuclear designs and alternative cooling systems will offer safer, cleaner energy at a lower cost. These reactors, it says, 'could play a key role in building reliable, zero-carbon power systems.' Structural battery composites The weight of batteries has been a pain point for things like cars and planes, impacting their efficiency. New materials that store energy and support weight can make these vehicles lighter, improving both their performance and their environmental impact. Collaborative sensing Speaking of vehicles, networking connected sensors can let vehicles share information in real time with each other, as well as with cities and emergency services. In the case of an incident, this can reduce traffic, increase response times, and improve safety, the WEF says. Generative watermarking As artificial intelligence becomes even more widespread, distinguishing original content from AI-generated material will be critical. Generative watermarking adds an invisible tag to AI content, helping combat misinformation and build consumer trust. Green nitrogen Producing fertilizer today requires fossil fuels, which leads to pollution and carbon emissions. Green nitrogen, which relies on electricity instead, could offer 'a more sustainable way to grow food,' the WEF says. GLP-1 drugs for neurodegenerative diseases GLP-1 drugs are currently used to treat obesity and diabetes. The WEF notes they are also showing promise in treating other diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Autonomous biochemical sensing Smart sensors capable of continuously monitoring environmental changes or human health without wires could unlock numerous possibilities. The medical field may use them for early disease detection, while scientists can apply them to track pollution and atmospheric trends. Nanozymes Naturally occurring enzymes help clean pollution and are used in medical diagnostics. Lab-made versions, called nanozymes, are stronger and cheaper, which could expand their use in a variety of applications. Engineered living therapeutics Long-term medical care is expensive and often inconsistent in its results. Scientists, according to the WEF, are developing therapies that use beneficial bacteria to deliver treatments from within the body. This approach could lower costs and improve success rates. Osmotic power systems This renewable energy source, which uses the pressure difference that occurs when freshwater and saltwater mix, produces a cleaner form of electricity. That can be especially helpful in coastal areas where special care must be taken to protect both the environment and wildlife.
Medscape
23 minutes ago
- Medscape
Rapid Review Quiz: Wearable Health Tech
As wearable health technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible, its impact on disease detection, chronic condition management, and preventive care is growing rapidly. From smartwatches that flag abnormal heart rhythms to headbands that analyze sleep stages and wristbands that monitor blood pressure around the clock, these devices are reshaping the landscape of modern healthcare. However, clinical accuracy can vary significantly across devices. How well do you understand the strengths and shortcomings of these wearable health devices? Check your knowledge with this quick quiz. The Apple Watch is US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for over-the-counter use as ECG software to help detect cardiac arrhythmias. In May 2024, the FDA qualified Apple's Atrial Fibrillation History Feature as a Medical Device Development Tool (MDDT). This makes it the first over-the-counter wearable tech accepted under the MDDT program for estimating AF burden in clinical research. The feature might serve as a biomarker to evaluate cardiac interventions, such as ablation therapies, during clinical trials. A new meta-analysis shows that the Apple Watch ECG has high sensitivity and specificity for AF detection compared to standard ECGs. However, expert guidelines and the study itself recommend that providers use the Apple Watch ECG as a screening tool, not for definitive diagnosis. Any positive or suspicious result should be confirmed with a standard 12-lead ECG, which remains the criterion standard for AF diagnosis and can detect other arrhythmias. Choosing to use the Apple Watch ECG as the sole diagnostic tool ignores its limitations and the need for comprehensive evaluation, potentially missing important cardiac conditions. Advising against all use of the device would overlook its value for early and convenient AF screening, especially in at-risk or hard-to-reach populations. Replacing standard ECGs entirely with the Apple Watch is not supported because the Apple Watch cannot provide the full range of diagnostic information. Learn more about AF. A clinical trial showed that after 3 months of using the Dexcom G6, participants had notable improvements in glycemic control. Usage remained high throughout the study, with 91% completing the full 90-day period and wearing the sensor 88% of the time. Compared to fingerstick monitoring, CGM users had lower average glucose levels (184.0-147.2 mg/dL), better time in range (58%-83%), and slight improvements in glucose variability. Additional health benefits included reductions in A1c, BMI, blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, and a lower estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk. Real-world data also confirmed that patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes using CGM for 12 months saw continued improvement in glycemic control, especially when using alert features. This was confirmed in a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, which concluded that feedback from CGM positively affects glycemic control in adults, regardless of diabetes status. In March 2024, the FDA approved Dexcom's Stelo Glucose Biosensor System, the first over-the-counter CGM, designed for adults with type 2 diabetes not using insulin and for the general public interested in tracking glucose patterns related to lifestyle factors. Learn more about CGM. The Dreem headband uses portable EEG and motion detection for home-based sleep tracking. A recent study comparing Dreem to polysomnography (PSG) (the criterion standard for detailed sleep analysis) found mixed accuracy across sleep metrics. Total sleep time and sleep efficiency aligned closely with PSG results due to the device's ability to detect sleep-wake transitions via movement. However, REM sleep was overestimated by about 25 minutes. Overestimating REM could delay detection of disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and depression (in which sleep disruptions are linked), making the Dreem less reliable for clinical diagnoses that require precise REM data. Although the device shows potential for general sleep monitoring at home, its limitations (especially in identifying REM) suggest that further validation and algorithm refinement are needed, particularly for use in older adults and people with neurodegenerative conditions. Learn more about sleep EEG. A new meta-analysis concluded that wearable activity tracker-based interventions significantly increased daily step counts in older adults compared to usual care (such as prescribed physical activity), highlighting their potential to boost physical activity in this population. Higher step counts are linked to lower cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality and reduced frailty risk. The interventions did not significantly improve BMI or functional mobility (Timed Up and Go test) or reduce sedentary time. These outcomes might require longer interventions or additional components such as dietary changes or targeted exercises. Learn more about risk factors for coronary artery disease. Hilo, formerly known as Aktiia (Neuchâtel, Switzerland) is a wearable device that measures BP continuously without a cuff, using optical sensors in a wrist-worn bracelet. It has received regulatory approval in the European Union and Canada. A new study found that Hilo (Aktiia) closely matched ABPM readings during daytime and across a full 24-hour cycle. However, it consistently recorded higher systolic BP at night, indicating reduced accuracy during sleep. It nonetheless captured overall nighttime dipping trends. No major discrepancies were found in daytime readings, and claims of inaccuracy during the day were unfounded. The device also did not show overestimation across all periods, only at night. Furthermore, it successfully tracked dipping patterns, supporting its use with some caution for nighttime data interpretation. Learn more about BP assessment.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Tourism Industry Development Conference in Heilongjiang Province Fuels High-quality Tourism Development
FUYUAN, China, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At dawn, at Fuyuan's Dongji Pavilion on a hilltop, tourists are holding their breaths as they wait for a breathtaking sunrise. Soon, the banner of the 7th Tourism Industry Development Conference in Heilongjiang Province will fly high in China's easternmost city. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. At this very moment, Fuyuan is unfolding its charm to welcome guests from all over the world. At the Shell Beach Camp, a new facility popular among young people, the river gently kisses the shoreline, and the white sand beach beckons vacationers. At the Wild Bear Park on Heixiazi Island, cubs playing in the water with their moms vividly portrays the harmony between man and nature. At the Cranberry Base that resembles a massive sea of rubies, the blend of agriculture and sightseeing draws a large number of visitors. Optimizing port facilities and streamlining customs clearance, the conference motivates the city to boost port services and foster an important hub for regional collaboration in Northeast Asia. The conference has been successfully staged in Harbin, Yichun, Heihe, Mudanjiang, Daqing, and Qiqihar. This year, the baton is passed to Fuyuan, a jurisdiction of Jiamusi. For the people of Heilongjiang, the conference has been an essential event ever since the Party Committee and the Government of Heilongjiang chose a host city every year since 2018. Now, the 7th session is around the corner. City after city, the conference has greatly enhanced the tourism infrastructure, public service system, and economic and social development, stimulating new ideas, concepts, and measures for the future. As a result, more and more tourists put Heilongjiang on their destination list. According to the Heilongjiang Bureau of Statistics, the province welcomed 282.398 million tourists in 2024 (a year-on-year growth of 29.1%), who spent 370.12 billion yuan (a year-on-year growth of 67.1%). This year, the conference will uphold the principles of "simple, safe, and exciting," adopt the theme of "creating new momentum for integration, sharing new opportunities in tourism," build platforms for tourism cooperation, innovative application, and consumption upgrading, improve market-oriented operation, standardized construction, well-regulated management, and intelligent practice in tourism, and unlock potential in spending. At the end of the day, the conference is expected to help the city thrive and benefit the community. Source: Organizing Committee of the 7th Tourism Industry Development Conference in Heilongjiang Province CONTACT: Contact person: Ms. Wong, Tel: 86-10-63074558Sign in to access your portfolio
