WASHINGTON, Jan 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce

Department said on Thursday it is considering new rules that

would impose restrictions on Chinese drones that would restrict

or ban them in the United States citing national security

concerns.

The department said it was seeking public comments by March

4 on potential rules to safeguard the supply chain for drones,

saying threats from China and Russia "may offer our adversaries

the ability to remotely access and manipulate these devices,

exposing sensitive U.S. data."

China accounts for the vast majority of U.S. commercial

drone sales.

In September, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the

department could impose restrictions similar to those that would

effectively ban Chinese vehicles from the United States and the

focus will be on drones with Chinese and Russian equipment,

chips and software.

She told Reuters in November she hopes to finalize the rules

on Chinese vehicles by Jan. 20.

A decision to write new rules restricting or banning Chinese

drones will be made by the administration of President-elect

Donald Trump, who takes over on Jan. 20.

Washington has taken a series of steps to crack down on

Chinese drones over the last year.

Last month, President Joe Biden signed legislation that

could ban China-based DJI and Autel Robotics from

selling new drone models in the U.S. A unspecified U.S. agency

must determine within one year if drones from DJI or Autel

Robotics pose unacceptable national security risks.

DJI, the world's largest drone manufacturer that sells more

than half of all U.S. commercial drones, said if no agency

completes the study it would prevent the company from launching

new products in the U.S.

In September, the House of Representatives voted to bar new

drones from DJI from operating in the U.S.

In October, DJI sued the Defense Department for adding it to

a list of companies allegedly working with Beijing's military,

saying the designation is wrong and has caused the company

financial harm.

DJI told Reuters in October that Customs and Border

Protection was stopping imports of some DJI drones from entering

the United States, citing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention

Act. No forced labor is involved at any stage of its

manufacturing, DJI said.

U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns that DJI

drones pose data transmission, surveillance and national

security risks, which the company rejects. Congress in 2019

banned the Pentagon from buying or using drones and components

manufactured in China.