Fears in US surround banning of Chinese drones used for non-military purposes such as search and rescue, factory inspections and farming
4-MIN READ4-MINHan Liin Washington, DCPublished: 5:48am, 10 Sep 2026Updated: 5:50am, 10 Sep 2026Greg Reverdiau, an Arizona-based drone trainer, said he saw something highly unusual for politically polarised America when he waded through public comments on a US government proposal to restrict foreign-made drones: a consensus.
“Those numbers are pretty damning for the FCC as to what they’re trying to propose,” Reverdiau said. “I hope that they’re going to be making changes.”
In July, the FCC outlined a plan prohibiting the continued importation and marketing of previously authorised foreign-produced drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems, and critical components that meet a new definition of “military-grade”.
01:48US bans imports of new Chinese robots and power inverters in latest tech crackdownDuring the six-week public comment period, which ended in early September, a wide range of stakeholders spoke out against the rule, including law enforcement agencies, farmers, utilities and other commercial drone operators. The vast majority urged the federal government to alter, narrow or delay the proposal, warning it could have significant consequences for their operations.
