The Anzu Raptor T is seen in this image from Anzu Robotics. The Austin-based company has been sued by the state of Texas, which alleges it’s a front for a banned Chinese manufacturer.
The state of Texas is filing a series of lawsuits against Chinese-affiliated companies, including a local drone seller and the online retailer Temu.
In the case filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office against Austin-based Anzu Robotics, the state claims the company’s drones are “nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
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It alleges the company sells rebranded products from SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd., or DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, despite a new federal ban. The Chinese science and technology company also makes handheld video cameras and portable power stations.
It suffered a major blow in December, when the Federal Communications Commission banned the import and sale of all new drone models and critical equipment made by foreign manufacturers.
The lawsuit says DJI is using Anzu to get around the ban.
“DJI has a problem,” it says. “Defendant Anzu Robotics is their solution.”
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The suit says Anzu markets and sells products that are “DJI drones in all but name — with identical hardware, identical firmware, identical software, and only a coat of green paint and an American label to distinguish them from their Chinese counterparts.”
It alleges Anzu does not disclose its relationship with DJI and claimed its drones are not tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
The company didn’t respond to a request for comment. But a statement last week attributed to CEO Randall Warna suggested Anzu’s Raptor series of drones was no longer available “due to persistent component shortages that have stalled further production.”
The state is seeking an injunction and civil penalties.
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OTHER LAWSUITS:
The drone suit is one of several in what Paxton said is a series against “China-aligned companies.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has begun filing a series of lawsuits against alleged Chinese-affiliated companies, including a local drone company that may have ties to the world’s largest drone maker, DJI.
On Thursday, his office also filed a lawsuit against Temu’s parent companies PDD Holdings Inc. and WhaleCo Inc. The suit describes Temu as a “trojan horse” for the companies to steal Texans’ data and expose it to the Chinese Communist Party.
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Texas alleges the online marketplace, which sells heavily discounted products, is really “spyware” for China and poses a national security threat. Gov. Greg Abbott has included PDD on the state’s list of prohibited technologies for state employees.
The state is seeking an injunction against Temu and as much as $1 million in civil penalties and fees.
Earlier Thursday, the AG’s office filed a lawsuit against Canadian technology company Lorex Technology Inc. and its parent company Lorex Corp., which is known for selling baby monitors and cameras. Paxton said his office’s investigation found evidence that Lorex’s baby monitors were manufactured and sourced by Dahua Technology, a Chinese company that has been identified by the U.S. as a “Chinese Military Company.”
The Federal Communications Commission has issued a temporary freeze on the import and sale of Dahua products due to national security risks.
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The state is seeking relief under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and monetary relief, which includes up to $10,000 for each violation.
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The three suits came after one filed earlier this week, in which the state alleges that a California technology company gave the Chinese Communist Party access to its network and smart-home devices sold to U.S. customers.
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The suit is against TP-Link Systems Inc., which serves as the U.S. headquarters for China-based TP-Link. The company, however, established itself in California in 2024 as a means to operate its business independently and entirely separately from its Chinese counterpart. The company is on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s list of prohibited technologies for state employees and devices.
The lawsuits stem from data privacy and security investigations launched by Paxton back in June 2024. Since then, Paxton has filed several lawsuits against Chinese-affiliated companies for allegedly exploiting Texans’ data and posing national security risks.
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