The Federal Communications Commission moved Tuesday to prohibit the import, marketing, and sale of certain foreign-produced military-grade drones, among them aircraft equipped with swarming capabilities and infrared thermal imaging.
The regulator is seeking public comment on blocking imports of swarming drones, thermal imaging drones, and other categories of covered equipment
The Federal Communications Commission moved Tuesday to prohibit the import, marketing, and sale of certain foreign-produced military-grade drones, among them aircraft equipped with swarming capabilities and infrared thermal imaging.
The FCC issued a public notice seeking comment on whether to impose the ban on categories of foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems already on its Covered List — a roster of equipment deemed to pose unacceptable national security risks. The agency said it had reached a tentative conclusion that strong national security reasons existed to proceed. Comments are due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Beyond swarming and thermal imaging drones, the proposed prohibition would extend to drones designed to integrate defense articles, drones with LiDAR sensing, aerosol drones capable of dispensing pesticides under FAA rules, drone docking stations, and unmanned aircraft weighing 55 pounds or more, the FCC said.
Any final ban would carry several carve-outs. It would not apply to drones purchased or imported for use by the federal government, equipment used for commercial testing and product development, or the continued use of drones already owned, the FCC said. Equipment not on the Covered List — including drones cleared through the Department of War's Blue UAS program, those meeting a 65% domestic content threshold under Buy America standards, or those granted Conditional Approvals — would also be exempt.
Separately, the FCC extended the exceptions for Blue UAS-listed drones and drones meeting Buy America content standards through January 1, 2028, a one-year extension from the previous deadline. The agency also removed the expiration date for drones that have received Conditional Approvals, the FCC said.
The FCC also said it had begun proceedings to revoke two equipment authorizations granted to Odyssey Robot, which it accused of falsely claiming domestic production — the first revocation proceeding the agency has brought against a drone company for attempting to evade its rules.
Tuesday's action follows a series of steps the FCC has taken to restrict foreign drone technology. As Quartz has reported, the agency extended its import ban on Chinese-made telecom and surveillance equipment to older device models last month, with an effective date in early July. A December rule had already closed the door on new drone model imports from Chinese manufacturers, barring companies including DJI and Autel from obtaining authorization to sell new models or key components in the U.S., though existing products continued to be sold.
DJI, the world's largest drone manufacturer, filed a lawsuit in February challenging the December import ban decision, according to Reuters. The company holds more than half of the U.S. commercial drone market.
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