DJI (大疆创新) revokes operator certificate after agricultural drone used to lift person up a mountain

DJI (大疆创新) has revoked the certificate of a licensed agricultural drone pilot after what it describes as an “extremely dangerous” misuse of a crop-spraying drone to hoist a person up a mountainside. The action follows a company notice issued by DJI’s HuiFei Drone Application Training Center (慧飞无人机应用技术培训中心), which said the operation posed a major safety hazard and violated rules that restrict agricultural drones to farming tasks.

Incident

It has been reported that the pilot, identified only as Zheng (郑某), in December 2025 used an agricultural unmanned aerial vehicle at an orange orchard in Fengjie County (奉节县), Chongqing to lift a ground crew member to the hilltop; the ground crew reportedly reached more than 10 metres above the ground. The pilot is said to have posted video of the stunt online. Local police have reportedly intervened and issued a warning and a fine to the operator.

Response and regulatory context

DJI’s notice said it revoked Zheng’s agricultural drone operator certificate under its certificate-management rules and barred him from reapplying for one year. DJI also reminded other agricultural pilots and trainees of safety obligations. The company told media that it is an accredited trainer and certifier recognized by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs — “who issues a certificate, manages it.” Under China’s Interim Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aircraft Flight, agricultural drones are intended for farming, forestry, animal husbandry and fisheries work, not for carrying people. For Western readers: DJI is a dominant global drone maker that has faced export controls and scrutiny abroad in recent years, but this case is a domestic safety enforcement action prompted by operator misconduct rather than geopolitical pressure. Why risk lives for convenience? The incident underlines persistent safety and compliance challenges as drones proliferate across China’s countryside.