DJI blacklist appeal court ruling

On August 14, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered a lower court to reconsider whether DJI, the world's largest drone maker, should be removed from the Pentagon's list of Chinese military companies. The appeals court ruled that the lower court erred by relying solely on the unclassified record in concluding that DJI contributes to the Chinese defense industrial base. The case was remanded for further proceedings, with the possibility of examining the classified record. DJI, which was added to the blacklist in October 2022, has consistently denied military ties and said the designation caused lost business deals and reputational harm. The ruling is a partial victory for DJI in its ongoing legal challenge. The Pentagon's list, expanded to 188 companies in June, also includes WuXi AppTec and Alibaba, which have separately challenged their designations.