euRobotics is closely monitoring a significant regulatory shift in the United States that impacts European robotics exporters, component manufacturers, and research spin-offs.
What Happened?
On July 28, 2026, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau published Public Notice DA 26-786, adding “Foreign-Produced Advanced Robotic Devices” to the official FCC Covered List under Section 2 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019
What Does This Mean for European Exporters?
Under FCC rules, devices on the Covered List are prohibited from receiving new FCC equipment authorizations. Without FCC authorization, new device models cannot be legally imported, marketed, or sold in the United States.
Cumulative Trigger Criteria
The restriction applies to any mobile ground platform that meets all of the following criteria:
- Mobility & Locomotion: Ground-based movement, navigation, or obstacle avoidance.
- Autonomous / Distance Operation: Operates remotely or responds to sensor data.
- Weight Threshold: Exceeds 4.4 lbs (2.0 kg) (including docking or ground stations).
- Combined Technical Capabilities: Contains an environmental sensor, network connectivity (Over 200kbps), and software for navigation, perception, or command-and-control.
Note: Explicitly named categories include Autonomous Mobile Robots [AMRs], quadruped platforms, and humanoid robots. Existing models authorized prior to July 28, 2026, remain unaffected). Formal definition of inclusion and exclusion items is available in the National Security Determination
Official Documents and Links
- FCC public notice DA26-786
- FCC Fact Sheet
- FCC Supply Chain Covered List
- Applicable Regulation: 47 C.F.R §2.903 (FCC Equipment Authorization Rules
Are You Affected? Reach Out to Us!
If your organization, company, or research team manufactures, exports, or integrates mobile robotics targeting the U.S. market, we want to hear from you.
To better understand the impact on the European Robotics community and consider and euRobotics activity, we would ask you to fill this 1-minute form: https://forms.gle/dnPSfknoJ9Jit2d48
All information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality and used solely in aggregated form for policy advocacy.