[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":306},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-post-fcc-chinese-test-labs-vote-drones-2026":3,"en-related-fcc-chinese-test-labs-vote-drones-2026":273},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"category":254,"date":255,"description":256,"draft":257,"extension":258,"image":259,"meta":260,"navigation":261,"path":262,"seo":263,"slug":264,"stem":265,"tags":266,"translation_slug":247,"updated":271,"__hash__":272},"en_posts\u002Fen\u002Fposts\u002Ffcc-chinese-test-labs-vote-drones-2026.md","FCC Vote on China Test Labs: 82% of Devices (Oct. 29)","Lucas Buzzo",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":246},"minimark",[10,14,17,22,38,41,53,56,58,62,65,141,143,147,150,153,166,168,172,179,182,204,212,214,218,220],[11,12,13],"p",{},"The Federal Communications Commission will vote on October 29, 2026, on a draft order that would stop recognizing test labs in mainland China as of December 1, 2028. Labs in China tested 82% of the devices that sought FCC authorization in 2025, according to the draft. Existing equipment grants would stay valid, and the order does not change the current drone ban.",[15,16],"hr",{},[18,19,21],"h2",{"id":20},"what-is-the-fcc-voting-on","What Is the FCC Voting On?",[11,23,24,25,32,33,37],{},"Chairman Brendan Carr announced the item on October 7, and the FCC published the draft Third Report and Order in ET Docket 24-136 the next day, ",[26,27,31],"a",{"href":28,"rel":29},"https:\u002F\u002Fdronexl.co\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F10\u002Ffcc-vote-chinese-test-labs-82-percent-us-devices\u002F",[30],"nofollow","DroneXL reports",". It sits on the same October 29 meeting agenda as the order on ",[26,34,36],{"href":35},"\u002Ffcc-800-mhz-drone-spectrum-vote-2026\u002F","800 MHz drone spectrum",".",[11,39,40],{},"The core change: the FCC would stop recognizing test labs located in economies that do not offer reciprocal treatment to US labs. Mainland China is not on the reciprocal list. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Japan are among the more than 60 economies that are.",[11,42,43,44,48,49,52],{},"A ",[45,46,47],"strong",{},"test lab"," is a facility the FCC recognizes to measure whether radio-emitting products, such as drones, controllers and chargers, meet technical rules before they can be sold in the US. A ",[45,50,51],{},"Third Report and Order"," is a later-stage FCC rulemaking decision that finalizes rules in an existing docket.",[11,54,55],{},"Carr said the FCC will \"insist on fair and reciprocal treatment in international commerce.\"",[15,57],{},[18,59,61],{"id":60},"how-many-devices-are-tested-in-china","How Many Devices Are Tested in China?",[11,63,64],{},"Labs in China tested 82% of the devices seeking FCC authorization in 2025, while US labs tested under 4%, according to the draft order. In 2007, US labs handled about 31% of tests and Chinese labs about 13%.",[66,67,68,81],"table",{},[69,70,71],"thead",{},[72,73,74,78],"tr",{},[75,76,77],"th",{},"Metric",[75,79,80],{},"Figure (per the FCC draft)",[82,83,84,93,101,109,117,125,133],"tbody",{},[72,85,86,90],{},[87,88,89],"td",{},"FCC-recognized labs",[87,91,92],{},"609",[72,94,95,98],{},[87,96,97],{},"Labs in China",[87,99,100],{},"25.1%",[72,102,103,106],{},[87,104,105],{},"Labs in Taiwan",[87,107,108],{},"18.4%",[72,110,111,114],{},[87,112,113],{},"Labs in the US",[87,115,116],{},"17.9%",[72,118,119,122],{},[87,120,121],{},"Devices tested in China, 2025",[87,123,124],{},"82%",[72,126,127,130],{},[87,128,129],{},"Devices tested in the US, 2025",[87,131,132],{},"Under 4%",[72,134,135,138],{},[87,136,137],{},"Recognition ends",[87,139,140],{},"December 1, 2028",[15,142],{},[18,144,146],{"id":145},"transition-terms-and-opposition","Transition Terms and Opposition",[11,148,149],{},"Chinese labs would keep their recognition until the December 1, 2028 deadline. Any new recognition they receive before then would expire on the same date. Equipment grants already issued would remain valid, and the draft includes no individual waiver process.",[11,151,152],{},"The proposal drew opposition. China's WTO enquiry point called the rule discriminatory, according to DroneXL. The Consumer Technology Association, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation also objected, and several commenters asked for a three-to-five-year transition. The FCC gave roughly two years.",[11,154,155,156,160,161,165],{},"The order builds on earlier enforcement. The FCC's May 2025 \"Bad Labs\" rules removed recognition from 29 labs. In June, the agency found 33 false test reports from one lab, and in August it told certification bodies to tighten screening after one approved the ",[26,157,159],{"href":158},"\u002Fhoverair-versa-fcc-ban-2026\u002F","HOVERAir Versa",". The ",[26,162,164],{"href":163},"\u002Ffcc-tcb-drone-certification-guidance-2026\u002F","FCC's TCB guidance"," on drone certification is part of the same push.",[15,167],{},[18,169,171],{"id":170},"what-this-means-for-drone-pilots","What This Means for Drone Pilots",[11,173,174,175,37],{},"The order does not change the drone ban itself. The FCC added foreign-made drones and critical components to its Covered List on December 22, 2025, which blocks new authorizations for those products. For the full picture, see our guide on ",[26,176,178],{"href":177},"\u002Fis-dji-banned-in-the-us\u002F","whether DJI is banned in the US",[11,180,181],{},"What the lab rule changes is the testing pipeline for everything still eligible for approval:",[183,184,185,192,198],"ul",{},[186,187,188,191],"li",{},[45,189,190],{},"Camera and accessory lines:"," products such as DJI's Osmo cameras, which are not drones, are tested in Chinese labs. DroneXL notes the Osmo Pocket 4P was tested by SGS-CSTC in Shenzhen.",[186,193,194,197],{},[45,195,196],{},"Chargers and accessories:"," Chinese-made batteries, chargers and controllers would need testing elsewhere for new grants after the deadline.",[186,199,200,203],{},[45,201,202],{},"US and European brands:"," companies that test in Shenzhen would need to move testing to a recognized lab, which could add cost and lead time.",[11,205,206,207,211],{},"Pilots who already own approved equipment are not affected. The change would mostly show up as fewer new products and longer certification timelines after 2028. The vote is scheduled, not final, and agenda items can be amended or pulled before the meeting. Shoppers comparing current options can start with our ",[26,208,210],{"href":209},"\u002Fbest-drones-2026\u002F","best drones of 2026"," guide.",[15,213],{},[215,216],"faq",{":items":217},"[{\"question\":\"When does the FCC vote on Chinese test labs?\",\"answer\":\"The FCC votes on October 29, 2026, on a draft Third Report and Order in ET Docket 24-136. Chairman Brendan Carr announced the item on October 7. If adopted, recognition of mainland China test labs would end on December 1, 2028.\"},{\"question\":\"Does the FCC test lab order ban DJI drones?\",\"answer\":\"No. The order covers which labs may test products for FCC authorization. The drone ban comes from the Covered List update of December 22, 2025, which is a separate action. Existing equipment grants would remain valid under the draft.\"},{\"question\":\"Which countries would still have FCC-recognized test labs?\",\"answer\":\"Economies that offer reciprocal treatment stay eligible, including more than 60 listed in the draft's Appendix D. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Japan are on that list. Mainland China is not, so its labs would lose recognition on December 1, 2028.\"}]",[15,219],{},[11,221,222],{},[223,224,225,226,230,231,230,236,230,241],"em",{},"Sources: ",[26,227,229],{"href":28,"rel":228},[30],"DroneXL"," | ",[26,232,235],{"href":233,"rel":234},"https:\u002F\u002Fdocs.fcc.gov\u002Fpublic\u002Fattachments\u002FDOC-425721A1.pdf",[30],"FCC draft Third Report and Order",[26,237,240],{"href":238,"rel":239},"https:\u002F\u002Fdocs.fcc.gov\u002Fpublic\u002Fattachments\u002FDOC-425690A1.pdf",[30],"FCC Chairman Carr announcement, Oct. 7, 2026",[26,242,245],{"href":243,"rel":244},"https:\u002F\u002Fdronelife.com\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F08\u002Ffcc-drone-spectrum-50-mhz-hammer-down\u002F",[30],"DroneLife",{"title":247,"searchDepth":248,"depth":248,"links":249},"",2,[250,251,252,253],{"id":20,"depth":248,"text":21},{"id":60,"depth":248,"text":61},{"id":145,"depth":248,"text":146},{"id":170,"depth":248,"text":171},"news","2026-10-11","The FCC votes Oct. 29 to end recognition of mainland China test labs on Dec. 1, 2028. Here's what the draft order says and what it means for drones and DJI.",false,"md","\u002Fimages\u002Ffcc-tcb-drone-certification-guidance-2026.jpg",{},true,"\u002Fen\u002Fposts\u002Ffcc-chinese-test-labs-vote-drones-2026",{"title":5,"description":256},"fcc-chinese-test-labs-vote-drones-2026","en\u002Fposts\u002Ffcc-chinese-test-labs-vote-drones-2026",[267,268,269,270],"FCC","DJI","drone regulations","test labs",null,"CehQcv4NP2T9MgdVpxvBo9Q14O7HmVeaKN4gPgVI4hk",[274,276,287,294],{"title":5,"description":256,"date":255,"category":254,"image":259,"slug":264,"tags":275,"author":6},[267,268,269,270],{"title":277,"description":278,"date":279,"category":254,"image":280,"slug":281,"tags":282,"author":6},"FAA Order 7200.23E: Tower Drones Fly Above LAANC Grids","FAA Order 7200.23E lets Part 107 pilots inspect towers above LAANC grid altitudes without a tower call. Here are the new limits and what else changed.","2026-10-10","\u002Fimages\u002Fdrone-laws-usa.jpg","faa-order-7200-23e-tower-inspection-laanc-2026",[283,284,285,286],"faa","laanc","part 107","regulation",{"title":288,"description":289,"date":279,"category":254,"image":290,"slug":291,"tags":292,"author":6},"FAA Part 107 Test Adds Chart Questions Oct. 26 (2026)","The FAA Part 107 knowledge test adds image-based chart questions on October 26, 2026, and they are not in the supplement. Here is what changes for applicants.","\u002Fimages\u002Ffaa-part-107-license.jpg","faa-part-107-test-chart-questions-october-26-2026",[283,285,293,286],"knowledge test",{"title":295,"description":296,"date":297,"category":254,"image":298,"slug":299,"tags":300,"author":6},"Amazon Prime Air Eyes Australia, Posts CASA Approvals Job","Amazon Prime Air is hiring a Head of Regulatory Approvals in Australia to win CASA sign-off for its MK30 drone. Here's what the job ad reveals and what's next.","2026-10-09","\u002Fimages\u002FPrime-Air.jpg","amazon-prime-air-australia-casa-hiring-2026",[301,302,303,304,305],"Amazon Prime Air","CASA","drone delivery","Australia","BVLOS",1791707243538]