GoKawiilis a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
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DJI ban: how the world’s biggest dronemaker is getting shoved out of the US
HoverAir drones always have intriguing gimmicks. This one folds flat to fit in your pocket. This one can land on water. Another can charge inside its carrying case. But the brand’s latest trick might be its riskiest: it’s attempting to sneak a drone past the FCC.
In December 2025, the US government banned future foreign drones from reaching our shores, and HoverAir’s floating Aqua drone was one of the first casualties. But this time, brand owner Zero Zero Robotics might have found a loophole: its latest $750 Versa drone isn’t a drone, it claims, but rather a DJI Pocket-style mini steadycam with optional snap-on propellers that let it fly.
“The Flight Kit is an accessory that extends VERSA’s capabilities. Therefore, HOVERAir is in full compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements for the full product configuration offered to US customers,” global marketing director Anita Facundo tells The Verge.
As far as HoverAir is publicly concerned, the gambit has already worked. The FCC already approved the new HoverAir Versa on August 9th, public records show, and the company just launched it on Indiegogo this week while telling customers it’s good to go.
But the reality is more complicated. I’ve read through the full text of the FCC’s orders, and there’s reason to believe the loophole is real. But there’s also reason to believe the FCC was fooled and could easily reject this drone.
Zero Zero got its authorization grant for the Versa on August 9th. Images: FCC
When the FCC’s foreign drone ban came down in December, it blocked the FCC from automatically approving the radios of any foreign-made drone — each company now has to convince the FCC that its drone is either made in the United States, or doesn’t pose a threat to national security. (Or, lie on the paperwork.)
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