From PC Mag: The FCC's latest attack on the drone industry flew past our radar, but is gaining attention after DJI called it out on its ViewPoints blog. The agency issued a public notice on July 21 stating that it intends to retroactively revoke authorization for "military-grade" drones, something that normally wouldn't be an issue for recreational and professional drone pilots. There's a twist, though: the FCC's definition of "military grade" is broad enough to cover any drone with LiDAR sensors.
Several of DJI's consumer drones use LiDAR for obstacle detection and avoidance, including two PCMag Editors' Choice winners: the Air 3S, our top-rated camera drone, and the Avata 360, the best drone for spherical imaging. The Mini 5 Pro, which we missed reviewing, also uses LiDAR. All three of these drones received FCC clearance before DJI was added to the FCC Covered List in late 2025.
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