Washington farmers, first responders worry over looming ban on Chinese drones [Video]

SEATTLE — A bipartisan bill passed by the House of Representatives could have far-reaching implications that impact public safety and small businesses that rely on the evolving technology.

Drones serve many purposes. The same drone a farmer uses to monitor his cattle can be used by law enforcement to secure a crime scene.

DJI drones are the reason for that accessibility.

The Chinese-manufactured unmanned aircraft has cornered the market on commercial drones in the United States. King County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jason Stanley said that’s because the drones offer a cheaper price with some of the best technology available.

“From our perspective, they are a superior product to anything else that’s out there that’s even semi-affordable,” said Stanley, the county’s air support and drone program supervisor.

The proposed legislation targets DJI specifically over national …