This is one piece in our series exploring how tariffs and trade wars are affecting everyday operations—including how public safety teams are coping with pricier, harder-to-get drones.

United States

Police and first responders in the U.S. have been some of the most enthusiastic drone adopters – but they’re directly in the crossfire of the trade war and security crackdown. A huge proportion of public safety drones in America have been made by DJI, the Chinese brand that became the go-to for its reliability and cost-effectiveness. That started to change when U.S. officials flagged Chinese drones as a security risk. Lawmakers have proposed broad bans, and Congress has already banned federal agencies from buying Chinese drones in most cases​. In some states, the restrictions are even stricter.

Take Florida as an example. In 2023, Florida enacted a ban on public agencies using drones from any “foreign country of concern” (a list that includes China). Overnight, over 1,300 state and local government drones were grounded across Florida​. The vast majority of those were DJI models – in 2022, over 90% of Florida’s law enforcement agencies were using DJI drones, a share that dropped 14% after the ban took effect​. 

Police departments suddenly found themselves having to replace entire fleets. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, for instance, used close to $580,000 to swap out 18 DJI drones for American-made ones (mostly Skydio units) – a cost burden partly alleviated by state grants of about $400,000​. Statewide, Florida set aside $25 million to help law enforcement buy compliant drones​.

For cops on the ground, this transition hasn’t been seamless. New drones mean new training, software, and workflows.  Officers who were used to DJI’s systems now have to learn different controls and apps, and many agencies had to shelve useful accessories that only worked with their old drones. There’s also the performance gap – some officials complained that the U.S.-made replacements didn’t perform as well as the DJI models they lost​. 

Early-generation Skydio or Parrot drones, for example, might lack the camera zoom or flight time that officers relied on with DJI. Public safety teams value drones for missions like finding missing persons, tracking suspects, or assessing disaster damage, so any capability downgrade is keenly felt. To be fair, some departments report positive outcomes after switching. With Florida’s funding and training support, agencies have adapted; Orange County Sheriff’s Office even says the change “has gone well” and improved their fleet with new tech​. But it’s come at the cost of a temporary step back and a lot of taxpayer dollars.

Related Reading: What House Bill 41 Means for You and Texas Drones

Tariffs add another twist. Even agencies that aren’t forced to ban Chinese drones are facing budget pressure. If a police department in, say, Texas or California wants to purchase a new DJI drone in 2025, they’re looking at paying 30–50% more than a year ago due to U.S. import tariffs​. That might mean opting for fewer units or lower-end models. Some departments are looking at alternative brands by choice now – Skydio (USA) and Autel Robotics (China) are frequently mentioned. Autel, another Chinese manufacturer, is not as dominant as DJI but produces capable drones; however, it falls under the same tariff and policy cloud as DJI. For agencies wanting to avoid Chinese tech entirely, Parrot – a French company – offers the ANAFI USA, a small drone marketed for its secure data features. Parrot’s offering was approved on the U.S. “Blue UAS” list of trusted systems, alongside Skydio. These non-Chinese options, though, tend to be more expensive and less capable than the Chinese equivalents, at least for now. That puts U.S. law enforcement in a tough spot: pay a premium for domestic or European drones, or navigate the legal minefield of buying Chinese drones that might be banned next year.

China

In China, police and public safety agencies are, unsurprisingly, sticking with domestic drones – and they have plenty to choose from. DJI is headquartered in Shenzhen and supplies not just consumers worldwide but also Chinese government customers. Chinese law enforcement uses drones for surveillance, crowd control, and emergency response, much like their Western counterparts. The trade war hasn’t directly hurt Chinese police departments because they were never reliant on imported U.S. drones in the first place. If anything, they benefit from the home advantage. Chinese agencies can procure DJI or other local drones (like ones from EHang or Yuneec) at stable domestic prices without tariff markups. The Chinese government has also been investing in its drone industry for internal security and military uses, so public safety crews have a robust local supply chain.

That said, Chinese drone makers are feeling the pinch of trade tensions in other ways. U.S. sanctions have cut off some Chinese tech firms (including DJI) from American components – for example, advanced chips or sensors that used to be sourced from U.S. companies. DJI has had to accelerate development of in-house technologies or find non-U.S. suppliers to ensure its drones remain high-performance. 

So far, they’ve managed to keep their product line strong, but a prolonged tech “decoupling” could pose challenges down the road. For Chinese law enforcement end-users, these upstream issues aren’t very visible yet. A DJI drone sold to a Chinese police department today is as capable as ever. If DJI’s overseas sales suffer due to tariffs and bans, the company might refocus more on its domestic market, which could actually mean Chinese users get more attention and possibly better pricing. So essentially, China’s public safety drone users are insulated within a self-sufficient ecosystem – the opposite of the situation in the U.S.

Europe

Across Europe, drones have become standard kit for police and emergency services – and most of them are Chinese-made. Unlike the U.S., Europe (so far) has barely blinked at the origin of its drones. Countries from France to Denmark are happily using off-the-shelf DJI drones for tasks like surveillance, border monitoring, and search-and-rescue, despite American warnings about data security​. European agencies haven’t faced the kind of political pressure that U.S. agencies have. In practice, this means a police department in the EU can buy a DJI Matrice or Mavic for its operations without controversy – and without the extra 100%+ in tariffs that a U.S. agency would pay.

However, Europe isn’t completely out of the fray. The global supply chain issues still impact availability. If DJI has production delays due to parts shortages, European customers might wait longer or see some price increases. And if the U.S.–China trade war continues to escalate, Europe could get squeezed in the middle. European drone distributors might find it harder to get inventory if Chinese manufacturers reallocate stock (for example, focusing on the Chinese domestic market to make up for lost U.S. sales, or prioritizing friendlier markets in Asia/Africa). 

There’s also a strategic undercurrent: European leaders are aware that dependency on Chinese drones could become a security concern. France has its own drone maker, Parrot, which the French military and police have trialed for sensitive operations. In fact, Parrot developed a “Anafi USA” drone model specifically to meet rigorous security standards (it even built that model in the United States, ironically). European law enforcement agencies have shown interest in such alternatives, but adoption is limited. DJI’s technology and price point are tough to beat – as of 2020, DJI held about 77% of the U.S. drone market and a similar dominance globally, while Parrot’s share was a tiny 2%. That gap hasn’t closed much. So, in Europe, police continue to use Chinese drones widely, even at critical sites, although behind the scenes some officials voice “private concerns” about potential espionage or data leaks. If U.S. policies end up restricting DJI on a global scale, Europe may eventually have to rethink its stance, but for now European first responders enjoy largely unfettered access to affordable drones.

If you’re a police officer or firefighter in the U.S., you’ve likely seen major changes in your drone program – budget strain, new brands to learn, maybe even grounded aircraft. In Europe, it’s business as usual with DJI (at least for now), while Chinese agencies proceed confidently with homegrown tech. The trade war has created a patchwork of haves and have-nots in this sector, largely depending on the politics of each region.

FAQ: How Tariffs and Bans Are Impacting Law Enforcement Drones

Why are so many police departments in the U.S. struggling with their drone programs?

Many police departments are facing challenges because of bans on Chinese drones and steep import tariffs. DJI, the most popular brand, has been flagged as a security risk, leading to sudden bans like Florida’s, which grounded over 1,300 drones almost overnight.

What happened in Florida and how did it affect law enforcement?

In 2023, Florida banned drones from “foreign countries of concern”—which includes China. As a result, agencies had to replace their DJI fleets with American-made ones, costing millions. For instance, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office spent nearly $580,000 on replacements.

Are American-made drones a good substitute?

Not always. Officers report that U.S.-made drones, like those from Skydio, sometimes lack features like camera zoom or long flight time. Plus, switching systems has meant retraining and replacing accessories.

Is the federal government also banning Chinese drones?

Yes, federal agencies are largely banned from using Chinese drones. Some states have gone even further, enforcing their own stricter policies.

What are some of the financial impacts of these bans and tariffs?

Import tariffs have driven DJI drone prices up by 30–50%, even in states without outright bans. Departments now have to choose between fewer units or less advanced models.

Are there any approved alternatives to DJI drones?

Yes. U.S. agencies can choose from Blue UAS-approved drones like Skydio and Parrot’s Anafi USA. But these options tend to be pricier and may not match DJI’s performance.

How is China dealing with the trade war on its end?

Chinese police mostly use domestically made drones like DJI, Autel, EHang, and Yuneec. Since they aren’t importing U.S. drones, they’re shielded from the impact. However, DJI is feeling pressure due to U.S. sanctions on components.

Are Chinese drones becoming less advanced due to U.S. tech sanctions?

Not yet. DJI has managed to maintain its performance by developing in-house tech and finding alternative suppliers. But a prolonged tech split could create challenges down the road.

What’s the situation like in Europe?

European agencies are still buying DJI and Autel drones without much restriction or concern. Tariffs don’t apply, and local departments continue using Chinese drones for law enforcement and emergency response.

Is Europe considering changing its approach?

Quietly, yes. There are security concerns behind the scenes, and some countries like France are exploring local alternatives like Parrot. Still, DJI’s price and tech advantages make it the go-to for now.

What does the future look like for police drone use globally?

It depends heavily on geopolitics. The U.S. is reshaping its fleet under pressure. China is doubling down on self-reliance. And Europe is watching cautiously but hasn’t made major changes—yet.