The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) imposes strict supervision on electronic device components used in national defense and federal government-related projects through clear supply chain security and equipment compliance clauses. As the core component of monitoring systems, camera module chips directly determine whether modules and terminal devices can enter the relevant U.S. markets. The core requirements of the NDAA standard for camera module chips focus on supply chain transparency, unrestricted origin, and safety controllability, especially Article 889, which prohibits the use of chip products from specific countries with supply chain risks. For camera module manufacturers and overseas purchasers targeting the U.S. market, accurately identifying NDAA-compliant chip models and understanding their technical adaptation logic are key prerequisites for avoiding market access risks and ensuring project compliance.
Camera module chips that comply with the NDAA standard must meet two core prerequisites: first, the chip design, R&D, and production links do not involve regions and enterprise cooperation prohibited by the NDAA, and the entire supply chain is traceable and has passed third-party compliance certification; second, the chip performance and functions must adapt to the core needs of camera modules such as video collection, encoding, and transmission, while being compatible with mainstream monitoring system architectures. Currently, NDAA-compliant camera module chips worldwide are mainly concentrated in European and American semiconductor manufacturers. Their products have become the core choice for overseas customers due to their mature supply chain system and strict compliance control, among which image sensor chips, video encoding chips, and POE adapter control chips are the most critical categories.
As the core component of camera modules for collecting video signals, NDAA-compliant image sensors are most represented by the series of chips from ON Semiconductor (U.S.), among which the KAI-47051 and AR0234 models are the most widely used. As a high-resolution interline transfer CCD image sensor, the KAI-47051 not only has passed the full-link NDAA compliance certification but also its 47-megapixel resolution and 66dB dynamic range can meet the imaging needs of high-end camera modules such as industrial monitoring and aerial surveillance. At the same time, its 16-channel output architecture supports a maximum frame rate of 7 frames per second, nearly double that of similar compliant chips, making it suitable for POE camera module scenarios requiring high-definition imaging. The AR0234 focuses on low power consumption and high compatibility, developed based on CMOS technology, and is suitable for camera modules in small and medium-sized distributed monitoring scenarios. Its compact packaging design can be flexibly integrated into PD-type POE camera modules, while meeting the strict requirements of the NDAA for supply chain transparency, making it the preferred chip for entry-level compliant modules.
As the core of camera modules for video compression and efficient transmission, video encoding chips’ compliance and encoding efficiency directly affect the market adaptability of modules. The series of products from it(TI) and NXP (Netherlands) are the mainstream compliant choices in this field. TI’s TVP5150 encoding chip, with its stable H.264 encoding performance and NDAA compliance certification, is widely used in mid-to-high-end POE camera modules. Its multi-format video input adaptation capability can seamlessly cooperate with ON Semiconductor’s series of image sensors, and it also supports low-bandwidth transmission optimization, adapting to the centralized management needs of large-scale monitoring systems and solving the contradiction between high-definition video transmission and bandwidth occupation. NXP’s i.MX 6ULL series chips focus on integrated design, integrating video encoding and processor functions. They not only comply with the NDAA standard but also their low-power characteristics are more suitable for outdoor distributed POE camera modules, which can effectively reduce the overall power consumption of modules and extend equipment battery life. At the same time, their complete security encryption module further meets the additional requirements of the NDAA for chip safety and controllability.
It should be particularly noted that with the continuous iteration of the NDAA standard (such as the addition of high-performance computing-related control scope in the 2026 fiscal year bill), the compliance requirements for camera module chips are also continuously refined. Meeting only origin compliance can no longer fully adapt to market needs, and full-link supply chain compliance control and dynamic certification have become core competencies. Some manufacturers claim that their chips comply with the NDAA standard but fail to provide third-party compliance certification reports or supply chain traceability documents. Such products still have market access risks, especially for U.S. federal government-related procurement projects. It is necessary to additionally verify the compliance qualifications and certification documents of chip manufacturers to avoid project delays due to compliance loopholes.
In general, NDAA-compliant camera module chips are mainly products from European and American semiconductor manufacturers. Their core advantages lie not only in meeting supply chain compliance requirements but also in their technical maturity and adaptability to camera modules, which can form in-depth coordination with POE power supply architecture, high-definition imaging needs, and distributed monitoring scenarios. For overseas customers, when selecting models, they must consider the chip’s compliance certification, technical characteristics, and application scenarios, and prioritize chip models with complete compliance reports, traceable supply chains, and mature market applications. At the same time, they should pay attention to the iterative dynamics of the NDAA standard and adjust the selection strategy in a timely manner. This selection logic can not only avoid market access risks but also ensure the long-term stable operation of camera modules and terminal monitoring systems, which is an important foundation for overseas customers to expand the relevant U.S. markets.
