SHENZHEN – Chinese drone maker DJI filed a lawsuit to challenge the US Department of Defense (DoD) on Saturday, seeking its removal from the Pentagon list designating it as a "Chinese military company".

Being placed on the list represents a warning to US entities and companies about the national security risks of conducting business with them.

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In an announcement released to Xinhua, the company said the designation is erroneous and decided to seek relief in US federal court after more than 16 months of efforts to engage with the Department of Defense.

The company said it has been dedicated to promoting the application of civilian drone products and opposes the use of its products for military purposes.

"DoD itself acknowledges that DJI makes consumer and commercial drones, not military drones," said the company.

The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Last month, the US House voted to bar new drones from DJI from operating in the US. The bill awaits US Senate action. The US Commerce Department said last month it is seeking comments on whether to impose restrictions on Chinese drones that would effectively ban them in the US – similar to proposed Chinese vehicle restrictions.

With inputs from Reuters