Overview
- The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday added advanced humanoid and four‑legged robots plus foreign‑made power inverters to its Covered List, which blocks new, not‑yet‑authorized models from import or sale in the United States.
- The ban targets devices the FCC says can collect data, be remotely controlled, or be used to disrupt networks or grid connections, and the agency cited supply‑chain and national security concerns as its rationale.
- Products already authorized for sale remain usable for now but the FCC kept authority to revoke approvals and issued a temporary waiver allowing security and compatibility updates through January 1, 2029.
- Companies can apply for waivers or exemptions and the FCC is expected to carve out many non‑Chinese suppliers, while Chinese firms such as Unitree, Huawei and Sungrow are widely identified as likely affected.
- The move is likely to speed U.S. efforts to reshuffle supply chains, boost domestic robot and inverter production, and strain U.S.‑China tech ties ahead of the planned Trump–Xi meeting in September.