* Tech * News * Policy # The US is banning foreign robots The ban will have a major impact on robots made in China. The ban will have a major impact on robots made in China. by Emma Roth and Sean Hollister Jul 28, 2026, 10:37 PM UTC _The Chinese robot maker, Unitree, will likely be impacted by the ban._ Bloomberg via Getty Images The US government is targeting China with a new import ban on “advanced robotic devices” and power inverters made in foreign countries, as [reported earlier by _Reuters_](https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-administration-ban-new-chinese-robots-inverters-protecting-us-ai-buildout-2026-07-28/). In [an announcement on Tuesday](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-423682A1.pdf), the Federal Communications Commission says the ban will include “mobile” robots, such as humanoid and quadruped models — but it is not limited to robots that walk around. Though the FCC says the move isn’t targeted at a specific country, it will have a major impact on China as the country ramps up [efforts to produce humanoid robots](https://apnews.com/article/china-humanoid-robots-ai-demand-7d542b5ee92caa9d79efa28de89afbbe), some of which we’ve seen in viral videos [stumbling to Michael Jackson](https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/robot-michael-jackson-wiping-out-illustrates-industry-problem), [partaking in MMA](https://www.techradar.com/pro/usd50-000-t800-robot-decapitates-fellow-android-in-worlds-first-robotics-mma-fight) fights, and [even appearing on _America’s Got Talent_](https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3355993/brilliant-us-public-cheers-dancing-unitree-robots-while-congress-looks-ban-them). Meanwhile, in the US, Tesla has [discontinued its Model S and Model X vehicles](/transportation/869746/tesla-optimus-gen-3-q1-2026-earnings) to make room for its Optimus humanoid robot production. China is also home to the [world’s leading power inverter producers](https://www.woodmac.com/press-releases/solar-inverter-ranking-h1-2025/) — Sungrow and the already-blacklisted Huawei — which are often used in solar panel arrays and other renewable energy systems. In its announcement, the FCC cites “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons” as the reason for the ban. [A FAQ page published by the FCC](https://www.fcc.gov/covered-list-faqs-robots-inverters) defines an “advanced robotic device” as a machine that is capable of “locomotion, obstacle avoidance, navigation, or movement on the ground;” comes with a sensor that perceives the surrounding environment; and has a chip for network connectivity. It must also weigh more than 4.4 pounds (including its docking station, if it has one). By that definition, even future robot vacuums would automatically be banned if they do not obtain a waiver. The FCC does not appear to be limiting this ban to robots with legs. In fact, [the National Security Determination](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/robots-nsd.pdf) that the FCC is using to justify the move explicitly mentions [_The Verge_ ’s reporting](/tech/879088/dji-romo-hack-vulnerability-remote-control-camera-access-mqtt) on the poor security of DJI’s Romo robovac. Similar to the [US government’s ban on foreign-made routers](/news/899172/fcc-foreign-router-ban), companies can request a waiver if they want to keep bringing new products into the US, but the waiver application does not include any requirements to improve the security of those robots or inverters. Existing products in the US also won’t be subject to the ban, so individuals and companies can keep on using existing robots and inverters. Like previously, the US government seems to care primarily about _where_ these devices are designed and manufactured before they get a waiver — and every applicant needs to provide a detailed plan to start manufacturing them in the United States instead. Sources tell _Reuters_ that the FCC “is expected to exempt many non-Chinese suppliers from the restrictions.” The FCC says today that all robots and power inverters can keep getting security and compatibility updates through January 1st, 2029 thanks to an [additional waiver](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-789A1.pdf), but the agency is once again misleading the public about how those updates work. Companies do not currently need to inform the FCC when they push security updates to their devices. **Follow topics and authors** from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. * Emma Roth * Sean Hollister * News * Policy * Politics * Robot * Tech