{"id":"f938f1c9-c727-4d38-b672-984ea6ecef7f","name":"Autel Robotics","slug":"autel","description":"Chinese drone manufacturer (Shenzhen, founded around 2014 by former DJI engineers; Autel Robotics is the drone arm of Autel Intelligent Technology). DJI's principal consumer and enterprise challenger, with the EVO consumer/enterprise line, the Dragonfish VTOL series, and the Alpha industrial flagship. Subject to US regulatory action since 2024 (DoD Section 1260H designation, FCC Covered List).","status":"private","founded":2014,"hq":"Shenzhen, China","fundingTotal":null,"type":"hardware","reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://www.autelrobotics.com/about-us/","title":"About Autel Robotics (company overview)","sourceName":"Autel Robotics (official)"},{"url":"https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/36Kr-KrASIA/Autel-Robotics-challenges-DJI-with-high-performance-drones","title":"Autel Robotics challenges DJI with high-performance drones (2021)","sourceName":"Nikkei Asia"},{"url":"https://www.suasnews.com/2023/08/is-autel-a-chinese-company/","title":"Is Autel a Chinese company? (corporate structure) (Aug 2023)","sourceName":"sUAS News"},{"url":"https://www.commercialuavnews.com/infrastructure/randall-warnas-new-ceo-of-autel-robotics","title":"Randall Warnas named new CEO of Autel Robotics","sourceName":"Commercial UAV News"},{"url":"https://dronedj.com/2025/02/14/autel-evo-ii-drone-discontinue/","title":"Autel rationalizes lineup; key EVO II models losing support (Feb 2025)","sourceName":"DroneDJ"},{"url":"https://dronedj.com/2020/09/03/autel-announces-made-in-the-usa-evo-ii-dual-bundles/","title":"Autel announces Made-in-the-USA EVO II Dual bundles (US positioning) (Sept 2020)","sourceName":"DroneDJ"},{"url":"https://media.defense.gov/2025/Jan/07/2003625471/-1/-1/1/ENTITIES-IDENTIFIED-AS-CHINESE-MILITARY-COMPANIES-OPERATING-IN-THE-UNITED-STATES.PDF","title":"DoD Section 1260H list of Chinese military companies (Autel listed) (Jan 7, 2025)","sourceName":"US Department of Defense (official)"},{"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/07/2025-00070/notice-of-availability-of-designation-of-chinese-military-companies","title":"Federal Register notice of the 1260H Chinese-military-company designation (Jan 7, 2025)","sourceName":"Federal Register (official)"},{"url":"https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-1086A1.pdf","title":"FCC Public Notice DA 25-1086 adding foreign UAS incl. DJI and Autel to the Covered List (Dec 22, 2025)","sourceName":"FCC (official)"},{"url":"https://dronelife.com/2025/12/22/fcc-adds-foreign-made-drones-and-components-to-covered-list-citing-national-security-risks/","title":"FCC adds foreign drones (incl. Autel) to the Covered List (Dec 22, 2025)","sourceName":"DroneLife"},{"url":"https://dronexl.co/2026/05/19/autel-fcc-reply-covered-list-secret-evidence-dji/","title":"Autel's FCC reply argues the Covered-List listing rests on secret/DJI-aimed evidence (May 19, 2026)","sourceName":"DroneXL"},{"url":"https://dronedj.com/2026/05/19/autel-drone-ban-us-fcc/","title":"Autel fights the FCC drone ban; denies China data-access claims (May 19, 2026)","sourceName":"DroneDJ"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"Founded","value":"Around 2014, Shenzhen, by former DJI engineers; drone arm of Autel Intelligent Technology"},{"label":"Market position","value":"DJI's principal consumer/enterprise drone challenger"},{"label":"US regulatory status","value":"DoD Section 1260H Chinese-military-company designation (Jan 2025); added to FCC Covered List (Dec 2025); not on the DIU Blue UAS list. Autel's challenge is ADMINISTRATIVE (FCC Application for Review, Jan 2026 + reply May 2026); the Feb-2026 federal court suit against the FCC was filed by DJI, not Autel."},{"label":"Autonomy (flight-tech)","value":"'Autel Autonomy' obstacle-avoidance/path-planning (720-degree vision + mmWave radar fusion) and 'A-Mesh 1.0' drone-to-drone mesh networking. Pilot-assist flight-tech, not a standalone autonomy system."}],"aliases":["Autel","Autel Robotics Co","Autel Intelligent Technology"],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T04:03:34.753Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-31T04:03:34.753Z"}