The US Federal Communications Commission added foreign-made mobile robots, including humanoids and four-legged machines, plus connected power inverters to its covered list on 28 July 2026, citing national security risks. New products from any country outside the United States can no longer be authorised, imported, marketed or sold, though existing licensed models may continue to be sold and companies can apply for conditional approval. Industry figures read the breadth of the measure, which also hits Japan, Germany and South Korea, as an attempt to push robot production back onshore.
What changed
Foreign-made humanoids, robot dogs and mobile warehouse robots could be authorised, imported and sold in the US.
What it unlocks
Domestic robot makers get a period without new foreign competing models, while foreign suppliers can seek conditional approval or build US production.
- FCC covered list updated 28 July 2026
- China installed 295,000 robots in 2024
- 52% of $9.4B robotics VC to US firms
What you need to act on it
- conditional approval from the US Department of Defense for affected new products
- manufacturingdive.com2026-08-07