Chinese drone manufacturer DJI, the world’s leading provider of consumer drones, is under fire for allegedly using shell companies to circumvent U.S. restrictions on its products. American lawmakers have raised concerns about DJI’s ties to two companies, Texas-based Anzu Robotics and Hong Kong-based Cogito Tech, accusing them of acting as fronts to bypass federal bans on Chinese drones. This development comes as the U.S. House of Representatives considers passing the Countering CCP Drones Act, a bill aimed at extending federal bans on DJI to the consumer level by prohibiting the use of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) infrastructure.
Anzu Robotics, a relatively unknown startup that emerged in April, has been singled out by members of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The committee claims that Anzu’s Raptor T drone is essentially a rebranded version of DJI’s Mavic 3 drone. Anzu’s founder and CEO, Randall Warnas, is a former DJI employee who has leveraged his connections to facilitate a unique licensing agreement with DJI. Under this agreement, Anzu manufactures drones in Malaysia using DJI’s technology, which it claims to have modified to ensure compliance with U.S. regulations.
Despite these assurances, lawmakers remain skeptical. Independent research by drone reviewers and software developers has revealed significant similarities between Anzu’s drones and DJI’s models, including shared hardware and software components. Additionally, analysis of Anzu’s firmware suggests that it may still rely heavily on DJI’s infrastructure, casting doubt on the company’s claims of independence. Lawmakers have expressed concern that DJI is using Anzu as a “white label” to sell its products under a different name in the U.S. market, thereby evading current and future bans.
Cogito Tech, another company implicated in the controversy, is alleged to be selling DJI clones under the guise of its own products. Lawmakers have pointed to a teardown video analyzing the internal components of Cogito’s Specta Air drone, which revealed that many parts are interchangeable with those of DJI’s Air 3 model. Further examination of Specta’s internal code showed DJI listed as the manufacturer, reinforcing suspicions of a hidden connection between the two companies.
DJI has denied any wrongdoing, stating that its partnership with Anzu Robotics was established to enhance the accessibility of cost-effective drones in the market. The company argues that Anzu operates independently, with no shared ownership or reporting of customer data. However, lawmakers remain unconvinced, citing a lack of transparency and the potential for DJI to benefit financially from Anzu’s sales.
The implications of these findings are significant. If lawmakers succeed in proving that DJI is using shell companies to bypass U.S. sanctions, it could lead to further restrictions on Chinese technology companies and increased scrutiny of their business practices. The controversy also underscores the ongoing tensions between the United States and China, as both countries compete for technological dominance.
For now, Anzu Robotics and Cogito Tech have been asked to provide detailed information about their relationships with DJI, including any contractual and financial transactions, by mid-September. The outcome of these investigations could have far-reaching consequences for the drone industry and the broader U.S.-China trade relations.
As Congress continues to deliberate the Countering CCP Drones Act, the future of DJI and its affiliated companies in the U.S. market hangs in the balance. Should the bill pass, DJI could lose its 58 percent share of the domestic commercial drone market, a blow that would be felt across the industry. However, with companies like Anzu and Cogito potentially providing a backdoor for Chinese drones, the battle over drone regulation in the United States is far from over.
