FCC bans foreign-made robot vacuums and other advanced robots

The United States has banned the import and sale of new advanced robotic devices manufactured outside the country, a sweeping action that includes consumer products like robot vacuums and lawnmowers alongside more futuristic humanoid and quadruped robots. The Federal Communications Commission announced the policy on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, adding foreign-made "advanced robotic devices" to its Covered List of equipment deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security.

The ban stems from a National Security Determination issued by the White House, which defines the targeted devices as mechanical mobile units capable of ground-based locomotion, obstacle avoidance, or navigation. To fall under the prohibition, a device must weigh over 4.4 pounds including any dock, contain environmental sensors and wireless connectivity, and operate via software controlling autonomous navigation. The FCC confirmed that this definition encompasses robot vacuums and lawnmowers, not just the limbed robots like humanoids and robot dogs specifically named in the announcement.

Officials cited supply chain vulnerabilities and cybersecurity risks as the primary motivations. The determination states...