Overview
- The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology, in a public notice Friday, extended the waiver that lets covered routers and drones receive software and firmware updates until at least January 1, 2029.
- Updates are limited to fixes that keep devices safe and working, such as patching vulnerabilities and maintaining compatibility, and the waiver now also permits certain Class II changes that support basic function without adding new features.
- The extension applies to foreign‑made consumer routers and drone systems already on the FCC’s Covered List following bans issued in March 2026 for routers and December 2025 for drones.
- The only carveout to the router ban remains conditional approval from the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security, which is required for broader use or import of affected models.
- The stakes are broad for U.S. users because Reuters reports about 60% of home routers are made in China and the Wall Street Journal reports more than 80% of operational drones were built there.