(Yicai) Oct. 21 -- DJI Technology has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense for adding the world's largest drone manufacturer to a list designating it as a “Chinese military company,” the firm told Yicai.

In January, the Pentagon updated the list that identifies Chinese military companies directly or indirectly operating in the United States, adding DJI and chipmaker Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment China. AMEC said in August that it had filed a complaint with a US court against the DoD for its inclusion on the list.

“DJI has been dedicated to promoting the application of civil drone products and opposes the use of its products for military purposes,” the Shenzhen-based company told Xinhua News Agency on Oct. 19. “The designation is erroneous, so the company decided to seek relief in US federal court after more than 16 months of efforts to engage with the DoD.”

On Oct. 16, Reuters reported that the US Customs and Border Protection had halted the import of some DJI drones, citing the Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The firm said later that there is no reason for the agency to hold back the drones, adding that it is working to provide US Customs with documentation to prove its products comply with the UFLPA.

China’s Hesai Technology has also taken action against the Pentagon this year. In May, the developer of three-dimensional light detection and ranging technologies sued the DoD for adding it to the same list. The Pentagon has removed Hesai from the list but will immediately relist it, according to recent media reports.

Editor: Futura Costaglione