FCC humanoid robot import ban targets foreign made systems

The Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday it will ban new imports of foreign made humanoid robots into the U.S., a national security action aimed mainly at China, according to an Associated Press report published by ABC News.

The ban also covers quadrupeds, often called four legged robot dogs, and foreign made power inverters. The FCC said advanced robots produced outside the U.S. create supply chain vulnerabilities, cybersecurity risks and national security risks. FCC chairperson Brendan Carr said the move was meant to "secure America’s critical supply chains."

China’s scale frames the U.S. action

Barclays said China accounted for around 85% of global humanoid deployments last year. Morningstar analyst Kangyuxiao Li said Chinese manufacturers have been scaling production and reducing costs faster than most overseas competitors. Morgan Stanley analysts forecast China’s humanoid robot market could reach $15 billion by 2030.

Omdia put global humanoid robot shipments in 2025 at around 15,000 units. It said Unitree and AGIBOT each shipped more than 5,000, while U.S. companies such as Tesla and Figure AI each shipped a few hundred or less. For U.S. buyers, the humanoid robot import ban removes access to two of the highest volume suppliers named in the report.

Li said limiting access to the U.S. market would remove an important future market for Chinese suppliers and protect U.S. developers from price competition. He also said the restriction would not materially slow China’s overall humanoid development because of China’s domestic manufacturing base and export opportunities elsewhere. Omdia identified Europe as one target market for Chinese advanced robots, including humanoids.

Collaboration risk for U.S. robotics stacks

The policy may also complicate work between U.S. and Chinese technology companies, Omdia chief analyst Lian Jye Su told AP. Nvidia revealed a humanoid robot reference design in June that uses a Unitree humanoid chassis, the report said.

Unitree was recently placed by the Pentagon on a list of companies it says have ties to or aid the Chinese military. Beijing said it firmly opposes that claim. The source report does not state how existing imported robots, current pilots or service contracts would be treated under the FCC decision.

Source: abcnews.com