FCC bars new foreign-made drones, routers and robot vacuums from US market

The Federal Communications Commission has put new foreign-made consumer drones, routers and robot vacuums on a path to a de facto US import ban, and more categories could follow. The rules block new models from getting the FCC approval they need to be sold here. Waivers are possible, and a few have been granted.

The tool is the FCC’s Covered List, which names equipment deemed an unacceptable national security risk. ¹ It started with Huawei and ZTE telecom gear and has since widened to home gadgets. The drone ban came first, in December 2025, followed by routers, then robots and power inverters. ¹

The router order, published March 23, covers all consumer-grade routers produced in foreign countries. The FCC cited hacking campaigns attributed to China-backed groups named Volt, Salt and Flax Typhoon. It also said existing routers are not affected, and that new models can be exempted if the Departments of Defense or Homeland Security approve. ²

The robot rule followed in late July. It covers “advanced mobile robots,” a definition that includes humanoid and quadruped machines but also robot vacuums, pool cleaners and lawn mowers. ³ The stated worry is that networked robots with cameras and sensors create openings for attacks. ³

What it means for buyers

Nothing you own stops working. Products already approved stay on sale, and Eufy told WIRED that its current US lineup keeps its availability, updates and support. ³ The change lands on future models. A new drone, router or vacuum made abroad may simply never arrive in the US without a waiver.

That matters because most consumer gadgets, including nearly all routers and drones, are made overseas, and there are few US makers to take up the slack. ¹ WIRED’s reviewer suggests that anyone shopping for a robot vacuum consider newer models from brands that could be affected, in case later ones are blocked. Fewer options could also raise prices on less powerful models. ³

Waivers, so far

The exemptions are uneven. Netgear and Asus have blanket approvals for new routers. MSI has conditional approval for two specific models. TP-Link, which just launched Wi-Fi 8 routers it cannot bring here, has told the FCC it would spend nearly $1 billion on US manufacturing if exempted. ¹ The Matic became the first robot vacuum to receive a waiver. ¹

The FCC says its position rests on sealed Pentagon letters forwarded to 16 members of Congress. The Verge reports the government has not published public evidence of a specific threat. ¹ TechCrunch reported that the FCC did not show US-made routers to be more secure than foreign ones. ² The Verge’s coverage is openly critical of the policy. The FCC’s stated case is security.

The agency is also targeting the labs that test devices. It has decertified several Chinese labs, and a vote is scheduled for October 29 on phasing out Chinese test labs altogether starting in December 2028. ¹

Our read: The bans are rolling out category by category, with waivers handed out company by company. For buyers, the practical effect is not a shortage today but a thinner pipeline of new models. The FCC’s October 29 vote is the next marker to watch.

Footnotes

1. The Verge, “Foreign gadget bans: all the news about the FCC’s clampdown on Chinese tech”. Retrieved October 28, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

2. TechCrunch, “FCC bans import of new consumer routers made overseas, citing security risks”. Retrieved October 28, 2026. ↩ ↩²

3. WIRED, “How the FCC’s New Rule Will Affect Robot Vacuums”. Retrieved October 28, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴