Hey everyone! I'm totally lost on the new FCC regulations about Chinese drones. I've been saving up to buy a DJI Mini 4 Pro but now I'm reading conflicting info about whether they're banned or not. Can someone explain in simple terms: Can I still buy DJI drones in 2026? And if not, is Autel a good alternative? I'm just a hobbyist who wants to take some landscape photos.

Thanks for any help - this regulatory stuff makes my head spin! ??

You can still buy and use existing DJI models! All existing FCC authorizations remain valid - any drone already marketed for sale within the US may continue to be sold and used in the US, including DJI models. It's just that no new DJI or foreign drone models will be authorized after December 21, 2025.

If you're concerned about future support, Autel is definitely worth considering. If you prefer to not buy DJI drones due to the (very reasonable) risk that they may soon disappear from the US market, I'd recommend Autel. That company is based in China as well but some of its drones are made in the US and it isn't on any sanctions lists.

For camera quality, Autel is best. The Autel Evo Lite+ drone bridges the gap between the expensive and high-quality DJI Mavic 3 camera drone. I switched last year and love the image quality - the 6K video is fantastic for landscapes!