US President Donald Trump has announced tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports of unmanned drones and their components. This move is a bid to reduce US reliance on imports in an industry that is majorly dominated by China.
China's Shenzhen-based DJI Technologies accounting for about 70% of the US commercial drone market as of last year, according to Bloomberg.
US cites national security over drone tariff move
Justifying the tariff move on grounds of national security, the White House said it will protect the US's defense and defense-adjacent industrial base.
Deep Dive
What are the new tariffs on drone imports imposed by the US and their implications?
Why did the US government justify the 100% tariffs on drones?
How will the tariffs on drones affect the US market and domestic production?
“President Trump’s drone tariff program will protect the national security of the United States and its defense and defense-adjacent industrial base, supporting and creating American jobs,” Whit House said in a statement which also detailed a 100 percent duty rate on the import of certain unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), as they are formally known.
Those with a takeoff weight of more than 25 kilograms and with so-called national security capabilities such as thermal cameras and docking stations will be tariffed at 100 percent. Smaller drones face a 25 percent tariff, the White House said.
{{/usCountry}}Those with a takeoff weight of more than 25 kilograms and with so-called national security capabilities such as thermal cameras and docking stations will be tariffed at 100 percent. Smaller drones face a 25 percent tariff, the White House said.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: US names India a part of ‘shadow transhipment network’ helping China evade Trump tariffs
With this the US also imposed a 15% tariff on drones and components from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan, and a 10% on drones from the United Kingdom. However, the condition in these cases is that all hardware, software, and technology originates from within these countries and the United States.
The statement said the tariffs will "encourage increased domestic production" of drones and their components and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
Most of the new tariffs are to take effect September 3.
Regulatory body calls for domestic drone production
In December 2025, the US's telecommunications regulatory body Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had argued that domestic production of drones would “reduce the risk of direct UAS attacks and disruptions, unauthorised surveillance, sensitive data exfiltration, and other UAS threats to the homeland”, AFP reported.
It added that drones "are inherently dual-use: they are both commercial platforms and potentially military or paramilitary sensors and weapons," and foreign production of drones and their components, “could enable persistent surveillance, data exfiltration, and destructive operations over US territory.”
China is a holds a major share in the drone industry, with Chinese company DJI capturing more than two-thirds of the global drone market in recent years, according to several studies cited by AFP.
With China and US's on and off skirmishes over the years. US officials have accused China of supplying products used to surveil ethnic minorities in China, particularly the Uyghurs.
Since 2022, DJI has been on a US list of Chinese companies linked to the country's military and therefore subject to restrictions on access to US technology.
China last week announced drone export curbs to the United States and blacklisted six companies after the US trade sanctions over forced labor and national security concerns.