Trump ban on new foreign drones could raise prices and shrink choices [View all]
Source: NBC News
Jan. 18, 2026, 5:00 AM EST
In late December, the Federal Communications Commission set the drone world abuzz with a sudden announcement that all new models of foreign-made drones and critical components would be banned from the United States. The move, aimed at reshoring and shoring up America’s drone industry, took many observers by surprise given the state of domestic drone supply chains.
Because of the fledgling nature of America’s domestic drone industry, the ban is likely to throttle the overall availability of cheap, cutting-edge drones and spike prices for American hobbyists, consumers and businesses in the next few years.
“It’s an absolute s---show. It’s terrible. The United States doesn’t make any drone components,” Chris Larson, CEO of the American drone-component manufacturer Standard Systems, told NBC News. “There’s a few suppliers here and there, but it’s really only popped upwards over the last couple years.”
“The reality is, in the drone world, everything is made in China, and it’s going to take some time for things to get ramped up here,” he said.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/trump-foreign-drone-ban-prices-choice-rcna252417
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