FCC Adds Foreign-Made Drones to Covered List

FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Adds Foreign-Made Drones to Covered List, Affecting U.S. Market Access

AeroMorning, 24 December 2025

Source FCC Fact Sheet: December 22, 2025 (FCC fact sheet released)

WASHINGTON — December 22, 2025 The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a fact sheet updating its Covered List to include foreign-made drones and critical UAS components, citing national security risks that such equipment may pose to the United States.

Under this action, new models of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and related components produced outside the United States can no longer receive FCC equipment authorization, a requirement for legal importation, marketing, and sale in the U.S. market.

The FCC fact sheet, dated December 22, 2025, states that an Executive Branch interagency national security determination concluded that these foreign-produced systems and parts present “unacceptable risks to U.S. national security and the safety and security of U.S. persons.”

Key points of the FCC action:

• No U.S. ban on U.S.-made drones: The ruling does not prohibit certification or sale of drones manufactured in the United States.
• Foreign drones and critical components impacted: Devices produced abroad now fall under the Covered List, preventing them from receiving new FCC approvals.
• Existing models still valid: Drones that were already authorized and sold in the U.S. before this decision remain legal to use and sell.
• Potential exemptions: The FCC fact sheet allows that the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security could determine that specific foreign UAS or components do not pose unacceptable risks, potentially permitting authorization in select cases.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr emphasized that the decision supports strengthening the U.S. drone industrial base while protecting critical airspace infrastructure and national security interests.

This move follows broader U.S. policy trends aimed at supply-chain security and reducing reliance on foreign technologies for critical communication and navigation equipment.