Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a second lawsuit last week targeting companies he says are tied to the Chinese Communist Party, this time accusing a drone manufacturer of deceptively marketing products that allegedly pose national-security risks to Texans.
The lawsuit, filed against Austin-based Anzu Robotics, alleges the company misled consumers by presenting its drones as a secure American alternative to Chinese-made devices while relying on technology from Shenzhen-based DJI, a manufacturer federal agencies have flagged for security concerns.
According to the petition, Texas officials contend Anzu’s drones are effectively rebranded versions of DJI products, using identical hardware, firmware, and software while marketing themselves as free from risks associated with Chinese-manufactured drones.
State attorneys argue Anzu’s representations about its independence, data security, and software protections were false or misleading, potentially exposing Texans to surveillance risks or supply-chain vulnerabilities tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
“Anzu Robotics products are nothing more than a 21st century Trojan horse linked to the CCP,”
Paxton said in a statement, adding that his office is taking targeted action to prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting American markets or accessing personal data.
Anzu’s Raptor T is “essentially a DJI Mavic 3 painted green.”
The petition details findings from investigators and independent researchers who concluded that the Raptor T’s internal hardware matches DJI’s Mavic 3 Enterprise; its firmware is signed and encrypted using DJI cryptographic keys; its remote controller appears to be a relabeled DJI RC Pro; and its software relies heavily on DJI’s SDK. Texas also alleges DJI retains control of root cryptographic keys used to sign firmware, meaning it could theoretically push updates or access systems at a foundational level.
Anzu has acknowledged licensing drone designs from DJI, a common practice in the tech industry. The legal question, however, is whether consumers were clearly informed about the depth of that relationship. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties, restitution, and disclosure of Anzu’s ties to DJI.
The issue first came to light in April 2024 – see: DJI Just Got a New Rival in the US that Licenses… DJI Technology
and: House Select Committee Probes DJI Masquerading as US Firm via Anzu Robotics
Sources: Texas Scorecard; Drone DJ