Summary

The Federal Communications Commission has effectively declared war on foreign-made robotics by adding "advanced robotic devices" to its Covered List of banned national security risks. The rule, enacted last month, prohibits new models of foreign-assembled humanoids, quadrupeds, and even consumer robot vacuums from entering the US market unless they're built in America with at least 65% domestic components by value – a threshold rising to 75% by 2029. While not explicitly naming China, the policy targets the country that manufactures roughly 90% of the world's humanoids and supplies the sensors, actuators, and batteries that make modern robotics possible.

The ban exempts devices already sold and imports for R&D, but startup founders say that's meaningless without a domestic supply chain. Companies like CosmicBrain AI and Gemma built prototypes in China because US component lead times are measured in months, not days. Persona AI sources from Taiwan, Japan, and Italy but still can't hit 65% US content. The FCC cites security flaws in Unitree robots and a DJI vacuum loophole exposing 7,000 devices as justification. Critics at Brookings argue gradual tariffs would nurture domestic capacity without strangling innovation. Meanwhile, Agility Robotics (Oregon-assembled) and Nori Robotics see competitive upside. China retaliated with export controls on drones and entity blacklists. The result: a classic "stick without carrot" industrial policy that may secure the supply chain eventually – if the startups survive the transition.