Drones and uncrewed systems: both sides act on drones
21 steps on record since Apr 2019: 20 aimed at another country, 1 rule at home. 14 restrictive steps in force or suspended count on the map.
Updated 3 Nov 2026 · Strong on drones, thin on robots; 3 low confidence, 2 not read in the source
Every step, newest first
US import duties on drones: 100% on larger and thermal-imaging drones, docks and some parts; 25% on others; caps for listed allies
Proclamation 11055: Adjusting Imports of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Components Into the United StatesAimed at: all destinations · Other · In force, from 3 Sep 2026; parts in Annex III from 9 Feb 2027
Source: Federal Register 2026-16979 English text
FCC proposes to stop imports and sales of previously authorised foreign-made military-grade drones
Seeking Comment on Prohibiting the Importation and Marketing of Certain Foreign-Produced Military-Grade Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and UAS Critical Components for Non-U.S. Government, Including Those With Swarming CapabilitiesAimed at: all destinations · Export or import rule · Proposed, comments to 2 Sep 2026
Source: Federal Register 2026-15659 English text
US eases licences for civil drones under one hour's endurance and for certain larger drones to partners
Eases
Streamlining Export Controls for Drone ExportsAimed at: all destinations · Licensing · In force, in force 20 Jan 2026
Source: Federal Register 2026-01059 English text
All foreign-made drones and critical drone parts added to the FCC Covered List: new models cannot be authorised
DA 25-1086: Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Addition of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and UAS Critical Components Produced Abroad, and Equipment and Services Listed in Section 1709 of the FY2025 NDAA, to FCC Covered ListAimed at: all destinations · Entity or end-user list · In force, new authorisations barred from 22 Dec 2025; Blue UAS, domestic end products and Conditional Approvals exempt (FR 2026-15659)
Source: FCC DA 25-1086 English text
One thread: Drone makers on the FCC Covered List: the law, then the listing. Also listed: US law puts two Chinese drone makers on the FCC Covered List unless an agency clears them within a year (FY2025 NDAA s.1709)
National-security import investigation opened on drones and their parts
Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Their Parts and ComponentsAimed at: all destinations · Other · Proposed, opened 1 Jul 2025; led to Proclamation 11055
Source: Federal Register 2025-13365 English text
US order to speed domestic drone use and exports and tighten federal buying
Eases
Executive Order 14307: Unleashing American Drone DominanceAimed at: all destinations · Other · In force, signed 6 Jun 2025
Source: Federal Register 2025-10814 English text
US asks whether to restrict foreign-adversary drones under its technology supply-chain powers
Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain: Unmanned Aircraft SystemsAimed at: China, Russia · Export or import rule · Proposed, comments closed 4 Mar 2025
Source: Federal Register 2024-30209 English text
US law puts two Chinese drone makers on the FCC Covered List unless an agency clears them within a year (FY2025 NDAA s.1709)
Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, Sec. 1709Aimed at: China · Entity or end-user list · In force, default listing after one year without a security finding
Source: Public Law 118-159, sec. 1709 English text Medium confidence
One thread: Drone makers on the FCC Covered List: the law, then the listing. Also listed: All foreign-made drones and critical drone parts added to the FCC Covered List: new models cannot be authorised
US federal agencies barred from buying or running drones from covered foreign entities
Federal Acquisition Regulation: Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems From Covered Foreign EntitiesAimed at: all destinations · Other · In force, in force 12 Nov 2024
Source: Federal Register 2024-26061 English text
One thread: The drone purchase ban: the law, then the buying rule. Also listed: US law bars agencies from buying, and later flying, drones from listed foreign entities (American Security Drone Act)
China resets drone controls: temporary consumer-drone control ended, inertial sensors and other items added
商务部 海关总署 中央军委装备发展部公告2024年第31号 关于优化调整无人机出口管制措施的公告Aimed at: all destinations · Licensing · In force, in force 1 Sep 2024
Source: MOFCOM Announcement No. 31 of 2024 Chinese text
US law bars agencies from buying, and later flying, drones from listed foreign entities (American Security Drone Act)
American Security Drone Act of 2023 (FY2024 NDAA, Division A, Title XVIII, Subtitle B)Aimed at: all destinations · Other · In force, procurement bar on enactment; operation bar from 22 Dec 2025
Source: Public Law 118-31 English text
One thread: The drone purchase ban: the law, then the buying rule. Also listed: US federal agencies barred from buying or running drones from covered foreign entities
Drone items and some consumer drones put under export licensing (Nos. 27 and 28 of 2023)
商务部 海关总署 国家国防科工局 中央军委装备发展部公告2023年第27号、第28号Aimed at: all destinations · Licensing · Revoked, in force 1 Sep 2023; repealed 1 Sep 2024
Source: news report (Xinhua) of the MOFCOM statement Chinese text secondary source only: a news or law-firm note Low confidence
EU export bar on drone components to Iran
Not read in the source
Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1529The official site refused our reader, so this row rests on the drafted summary until a person opens the text.
Aimed at: Iran · Export or import rule · In force, in force on publication
Source: EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2023/1529 English text Medium confidence
China's interim rules on flying drones: classes, real-name registration and controlled airspace
Rule at home
无人驾驶航空器飞行管理暂行条例（国务院 中央军委令第761号）Aimed at: No other country: a rule at home · Other · In force, in force 1 Jan 2024
Source: State Council, Decree No. 761 Chinese text
New US controls on Iran's drones and the parts going into them
Export Control Measures Under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) To Address Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Their Use by the Russian Federation Against UkraineAimed at: Iran · Export or import rule · In force, in force 24 Feb 2023
Source: Federal Register 2023-03930 English text
India bans imports of whole drones, except for research, defence and security
Not read in the source
Notification No. 54/2015-2020: Amendment in import policy of dronesThe official site refused our reader, so this row rests on the drafted summary until a person opens the text.
Aimed at: all destinations · Export or import rule · In force, immediate; parts stay free to import
Source: WTO import-licensing database copy English text secondary source Low confidence
US agencies told to review and remove drones from foreign adversaries in the federal fleet (EO 13981)
Executive Order 13981: Protecting the United States From Certain Unmanned Aircraft SystemsAimed at: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea · Other · In force, signed 18 Jan 2021
Source: GovInfo, EO 13981 English text
Japan's government agencies to buy only drones with assured security and replace drones already held
政府機関等における無人航空機の調達等に関する方針について（令和2年9月14日 関係省庁申合せ）Aimed at: all destinations · Other · In force, agreed 14 Sep 2020
Source: Copy of the policy in a Fire and Disaster Management Agency notice Japanese text Medium confidence
US Interior Department grounds its non-emergency drone fleet over foreign parts and data security
Secretary's Order 3379: Temporary Cessation of Non-Emergency Unmanned Aircraft Systems Fleet OperationsAimed at: all destinations · Other · In force, emergency flights exempt; no end date found
Source: DOI SO 3379 English text
US defence department barred from buying or flying drones made in China (FY2020 NDAA s.848)
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, Sec. 848: Prohibition on operation or procurement of foreign-made unmanned aircraft systemsAimed at: China · Other · In force, signed 20 Dec 2019
Source: Public Law 116-92, sec. 848 English text Medium confidence
Taiwan bars government agencies from using products that endanger national information security; press reports Chinese-made drones among them
行政院 各機關對危害國家資通安全產品限制使用原則Aimed at: China · Other · In force, agencies to inventory and replace such products; in Dec 2020 the Premier asked that this be finished (press)
Source: Taipei Times report English text secondary source only: a news or law-firm note Low confidence
This page lists official actions on drones and their parts since 2019. They cover export licences, import duties and bans, lists of barred suppliers, and rules on which drones government bodies may buy or fly. The United States has acted most often; China controls exports of drone parts and technology. A few rows cover robots and industrial machines, marked as such. Rules aimed at no other country carry a Rule at home mark.
- Rule at home
- Aimed at no other country. Listed here, never counted on the map or in a tally.
- Low confidence
- Rests on a secondary source, such as a news report or a law-firm note.
- Not read in the source
- The official site refused our reader; a person has yet to open the text.
How this area is counted
- What counts
- An official action that limits or eases the export, import, sale, purchase, authorisation or use of uncrewed aircraft and their key parts: flight controllers, cameras and thermal imagers, inertial sensors, engines, data links and the software that runs them. This takes in export licensing, import duties and bans, lists of barred equipment, and rules on which drones government bodies may buy or fly. Sanctions that bar drone parts going to a named country count.
- What does not count
- Air-safety rules on where and how people may fly, unless they also limit who may supply or own a drone. Military buying of single systems. Counter-drone equipment bought for defence. Listings of firms on a general list (an entity list, an investment list) stay in the general family, even when a drone maker is among them; the drones page may link to them. Rules on robots and industrial machinery stay in this family for now and are marked "robots, not drones".
- Aimed at
- We show the country a rule is aimed at when its text names one. Rules that bar drones from any foreign source are shown as aimed at any country. Rules that only govern a government's own fleet or its home airspace, and are aimed at no other country, carry a Rule at home mark and are left out of the map's tallies.
- Sources checked
- The US Federal Register, the FCC's Covered List and document pages, Congress.gov, GovInfo, OMB memoranda and the Interior Department's orders; China's Ministry of Commerce, General Administration of Customs and State Council; the EU Official Journal; Japan's government agencies; India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade. We link the text in its original language.
- Checked less often
- Taiwan, Korea, the UK, India, Israel, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia are checked less often than the United States, China, the EU and Japan. Rows for them may rest on a news report until we find the official text; those rows carry a visible low-confidence mark.
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Sources: each government’s own publication, linked on every row with its language; where a government text could not be read, the press or a law-firm summary, marked low confidence. Rule level only: no firm or person is named.