The US government is moving to block a new category of foreign-made technology from entering the country, with China clearly in its sights. As Reuters previously reported, the Federal Communications Commission announced Tuesday that it will ban certain “advanced robotic devices” and power inverters produced overseas. The restriction covers “mobile” robots, including humanoid and four-legged models, but the agency’s language suggests the crackdown extends well beyond machines that walk.
The power inverter portion of the ban is especially significant for the clean energy industry. China is home to major inverter manufacturers such as Sungrow and Huawei, the latter of which is already on a US blacklist. These components are widely used in solar panel systems and other renewable energy installations. In its announcement, the FCC said the action is aimed at addressing “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.”
An FCC FAQ defines an “advanced robotic device” broadly. Under the agency’s description, the term applies to a machine capable of “locomotion, obstacle avoidance, navigation, or movement on the ground,” equipped with sensors that detect its surroundings, and containing a chip that enables network connectivity. The device must also weigh more than 4.4 pounds, including its docking station if one is included.
That sweeping definition could pull in far more than industrial robots or sci-fi-style humanoids. Future robot vacuums, for example, would appear to fall under the ban unless their makers secure a waiver. The FCC does not seem to be limiting the rule to legged robots; the National Security Determination underpinning the move even cites The Verge’s reporting on security weaknesses in DJI’s Romo robot vacuum.
As with the US government’s earlier restrictions on foreign-made routers, manufacturers can apply for a waiver if they want to continue importing new products into the United States. However, the waiver process does not appear to require companies to strengthen the cybersecurity of the affected robots or inverters. Products already in use inside the US are not covered by the ban, meaning consumers and businesses can continue operating existing devices.
Once again, the government’s focus appears to be less on demonstrated technical flaws and more on where the devices are designed and manufactured. Companies seeking a waiver must submit a detailed plan to shift production to the United States. According to sources cited by Reuters, the FCC “is expected to exempt many non-Chinese suppliers from the restrictions.”
The FCC also said robots and power inverters will be allowed to keep receiving security and compatibility updates through January 1st, 2029, under an additional waiver. But the agency’s framing may give a misleading impression of how software updates are currently handled. Companies do not have to notify the FCC when they send security patches or compatibility updates to devices already in the field.
