FCC Eases Chinese Toy Drone Import Rules (With Near-Impossible Conditions), Walmart–Wing Expands to Seven Cities, Florida Man Faces Federal Charges for Shooting Police Drone
Three major drone stories this week: The FCC will allow imports of Chinese toy drones under extremely strict criteria that virtually no product can meet; Walmart and Wing are expanding drone delivery to seven new metro areas including Memphis, Philadelphia, and San Francisco Bay Area; and a Lee County, Florida man who shot at a law enforcement DFR drone with a BB gun faces up to 20 years in federal prison under 18 U.S.C. § 32.
Highlights
- The FCC's new toy drone exemption requires a weight under 150 grams, no camera, no GPS, no brushless motors, and a 10-minute flight limit — criteria that disqualify all current mainstream consumer drones including the DJI Neo.
- Walmart and Wing have expanded drone delivery to seven new U.S. metro areas — Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Salt Lake City — after surpassing 1 million total commercial deliveries.
- Wing's average delivery time is 23 minutes; Walmart Plus members receive free deliveries while non-members pay $19.99 per order.
- A Lee County, Florida man was arrested after shooting a BB gun at an LCSO Drone as First Responder (DFR) drone and faces up to 20 years in federal prison under 18 U.S.C. § 32.
- Under U.S. federal law, the weapon type and whether the drone sustains damage are irrelevant — the act of firing at any aircraft, including drones, is sufficient to constitute a felony offense.
FCC Opens Door to Chinese Toy Drone Imports — But the Bar Is Nearly Impossible to Clear
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially announced it will permit imports of new Chinese toy drones into the American market. Before celebrating, however, the fine print tells a very different story — the requirements are so stringent that virtually no product currently on the market qualifies.
Under the new exemption, a drone must simultaneously meet all of the following criteria to be classified as a "toy":
- Weight: No more than 150 grams (approx. 5.29 oz)
- Range: Must remain within 100 meters (328 ft) line of sight
- Flight time: No more than 10 minutes per charge
- Maximum altitude: 300 feet (approx. 91 m)
- Maximum speed: 10 m/s (approx. 22 mph)
- Prohibited features: No GPS, brushless motors, camera, or any network connectivity
To put this in perspective, consider the DJI Neo — currently among the smallest mainstream consumer drones available, weighing just 135 grams and barely clearing the weight threshold. Yet it features a 12-megapixel camera capable of 4K video, multi-kilometer wireless connectivity, brushless motors, and an 18-minute battery life, failing nearly every other criterion. The DJI Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro, both weighing 249 grams, don't even pass the weight limit.
In practice, the exemption appears to describe a basic foam toy rather than anything resembling a functional consumer drone.
Walmart and Wing Expand Drone Delivery to Seven New Metro Areas
In drone logistics news, Walmart and its drone delivery partner Wing have announced an expansion to seven new metropolitan areas: Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Salt Lake City.
Wing has now completed more than 1 million commercial deliveries, with an average delivery time of approximately 23 minutes. Pricing is free for Walmart Plus members; non-members pay $19.99 per delivery.
Notably, Amazon Prime Air is also operating in Memphis and actively flying missions in Phoenix, making direct competition between the two platforms increasingly apparent. Wing uses a small, purpose-built drone that lowers packages via a tether; Amazon deploys its MK30 model, which weighs 83 lbs (approx. 37.6 kg) and carries a maximum payload of 5 lbs (approx. 2.27 kg). Amazon's MK30 has been involved in several incidents this year — reportedly striking construction cranes twice and colliding with a utility cable and an apartment building, though no injuries have been reported. How both systems perform head-to-head in overlapping markets will be closely watched by the industry.
Florida Man Shoots at Law Enforcement Drone, Faces Federal Felony Charges
The Lee County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) in Southwest Florida has released footage showing a man firing a BB gun at a police drone while it was conducting an active search operation.
The drone was part of the department's Drone as First Responder (DFR) program and was searching for a black bear when operators observed a group of men firing toward a wooded area. The footage clearly captures one individual taking aim at the drone and firing twice. Police made an arrest the same day (Saturday), with the drone's live-feed footage serving as real-time evidence during the operation.
Legally, shooting at any aircraft — including drones — constitutes a federal felony under 18 U.S.C. § 32 ("Destruction of Aircraft or Aircraft Facilities"), carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and potential fines.
The legal basis for classifying drones as aircraft stems from 18 U.S.C. § 31(a)(1), which defines "aircraft" as any device invented, used, or designed to navigate, fly, or travel in the air. The FAA has confirmed that shooting at unmanned aerial vehicles falls within the scope of Section 32, and federal prosecutors have previously brought charges on this basis.
A critical point: the type of weapon used and whether the drone was actually damaged are irrelevant to the charge — the act of firing is itself sufficient to constitute the offense.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office noted that the drone bore prominent "LCSO" markings and was equipped with flashing red-and-blue warning lights during flight, providing clear visual identification as a law enforcement aircraft.
Adapted from a report by Greg Reverdiau published on DroneXL. Original footage is available on the Pilot Institute YouTube channel.
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