These products were added to the FCC’s Covered List, which identifies communications equipment and services that pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security or to Americans’ safety, the regulator said in a Tuesday (July 28) fact sheet.
The FCC’s updates to the Covered List followed national securities agencies’ determinations that the importation of foreign-made mobile robots and connected power inverters could create supply chain vulnerabilities, create cybersecurity risk or create other unacceptable risks, according to the fact sheet.
The additions to the Covered List include “advanced robotic devices,” which are defined as mobile robots such as humanoids and quadrupeds, and connected power inverters, the fact sheet said.
Selected devices may be granted exemptions by the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security.
Devices that consumers already acquired or that were previously approved through the FCC’s equipment authorization process are not affected by Tuesday’s action by the FCC. The action applies only to new device models.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in the release: “Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue to do our part to secure America’s critical supply chains and, with today’s action, the FCC is acting in lock step with our national security agencies to do just that.”
Reuters reported Tuesday that the new bans target Chinese suppliers of these products and that many non-Chinese suppliers are likely to be exempted. That happened when the FCC announced bans on foreign-produced drones and routers, the report said.
NextGov/FCW reported Tuesday that an FCC official told reporters Tuesday that the devices covered by the new bans were targeted because they often have remote connectivity capabilities that create security vulnerabilities.
It was reported in February that China was stepping up its efforts to gain dominance in the humanoid robotics space. China now has more than 140 companies in the field, producing humanoid robots at scale and moving them into real-life scenarios in factories, hotels and offices. Since late 2024, cities like Beijing have set up investment funds of more than $26 billion to finance the industry.
