The US just blocked most foreign robots from entering the country. Here's what that means.

Key points

• The Federal Communications Commission ruled in 2025 that foreign-made advanced mobile robots, including humanoids and four-legged machines, pose unacceptable national security risks.
• Robots already purchased and models with existing FCC approval are not affected.
• Researchers found a hidden backdoor in Unitree robots; some models were also sending data to servers in China without owners' knowledge.
• China accounts for 80 to 90 percent of all humanoid robots shipped worldwide.
• At least one industry analyst warns the ban could slow US humanoid development by cutting off access to affordable Chinese platforms before American alternatives exist.

The United States government has moved to block most foreign-made mobile robots from entering the country, citing cybersecurity fears and supply chain risk to critical national infrastructure.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency that regulates electronic devices sold in the US, announced the ruling this week. An interagency White House body concluded that such products pose, in the commission's words, "unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States."

What robots are actually banned?

The ruling covers new imports of "advanced robotic devices," a category that includes humanoid robots (machines built in a human-like shape) and quadrupeds (four-legged robots, like the dog-shaped machines you may have seen in viral videos). Connected power inverters in mobile robot joints with wireless access are also restricted, a provision focused on grid cybersecurity rather than industrial robots.

Robots already bought, or models that already hold FCC equipment authorisation, aren't affected. Federal government purchases are exempt too, and companies can apply for a waiver to push software updates to foreign-supplied systems they already own. A separate exemption exists for robots and inverters that receive conditional approval from the US Department of War or the Department of Homeland Security.

The FCC described the ban as country-neutral, though as The Robot Report first noted, the policy targets a market where China ships 80 to 90 percent of humanoid robots globally and holds more than half of the world's industrial robot installations.

Why cybersecurity, and why now?

The security concern isn't abstract. Researchers found a hidden backdoor, a secret entry point that allows outside access, in robots made by Unitree, a Chinese manufacturer. Some Unitree models were also found to be quietly transmitting data to servers in China without the owner's knowledge. Unitree filed for a 610 million dollar public share offering in China in March 2025.

"These robots are mobile, connected computers with cameras, sensors, and microphones," said Robert Little, a business development advisor and former chief of robotics strategy at Novanta Inc., speaking to The Robot Report. "Once they enter factories, warehouses, and eventually our homes, protecting the data they collect becomes a national security issue."

The FCC pointed to its earlier restrictions on Chinese-made drones as precedent, an area where the US had already lost most of its domestic manufacturing capacity to China about a decade ago.

Could the ban backfire?

Several analysts think it could, at least in the short term.

"In the near term, the measure could slow US physical AI innovation by cutting startups and researchers off from future low-cost Chinese platforms before comparable Western alternatives exist," said Georg Stieler, a global robotics advisor and managing director for Asia at STM, speaking to The Robot Report.

Stieler points to a cautionary example: despite years of restrictions on DJI drones, the US still has no competitive mass-market consumer drone maker. Skydio exited the consumer market in 2023.

The ban also leaves a deeper problem unsolved. China refines more than 90 percent of the world's rare-earth magnets, a material essential to robot motors. Blocking finished robots does nothing to reduce that dependency.

Rueben Scriven, senior research manager at Interact Analysis, added that most Chinese humanoid companies haven't yet entered the US market, so the near-term impact on Chinese firms is likely limited. The bigger risk may be to American companies. Affordable Chinese robots have been helping US businesses and researchers learn what humanoids can actually do. Remove those machines, and that learning slows.

For anyone following how these robots actually move, our 28 July story on compact actuators in humanoid joints is useful background on why affordable hardware access matters to developers.

What does this mean for ordinary people?

If you already own one of these devices, nothing changes. If your workplace uses a foreign-made mobile robot, it stays legal to operate.

Longer term, if domestic manufacturers can't scale quickly, costs for robotic systems in warehouses and factories could rise and tend to pass through to prices for goods. Domestic robot makers such as Agility, based in Salem, Oregon, and Standard Bots, based in Glen Cove, New York (which raised 200 million dollars in Series C funding last month), are the intended beneficiaries of the policy.

Whether American companies can fill the gap fast enough is a question no one can answer yet. That's the thing worth watching.

Common questions

Does this ban affect robots already in use at US warehouses or factories?

No. The ruling only covers new imports of foreign-made mobile robots. Devices already purchased, or models that already hold FCC authorisation, are not affected.

Why can't the government just ban specific companies rather than all foreign robots?

US officials argue that Chinese law gives the Chinese government authority over any company operating there, so the risk isn't limited to individual firms. A blanket approach, they say, is the only way to manage it.

Could this make goods more expensive for shoppers?

Potentially, over time. If US manufacturers can't quickly produce affordable alternatives, businesses that rely on robotic automation may face higher costs, which can eventually reach consumers.