The Federal Communications Commission has significantly expanded its Covered List to include foreign-produced advanced robotic devices and connected power inverters, tightening its grip on imported technology.
The expansion was announced on July 28, 2026, following formal national security determinations made by a White House-convened Executive Branch interagency body.
That body concluded that these categories of products “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.”
The Covered List now encompasses mobile robots, including humanoid and quadruped robots, effectively barring most new foreign-produced products in those categories from receiving equipment authorization.
Products on the Covered List are prohibited from receiving authorization for importation, marketing, or sale within the United States, representing a significant regulatory barrier for manufacturers.
The FCC emphasised that the action is prospective, meaning it will not affect existing products already deployed in the marketplace, limiting the immediate commercial disruption.
The primary impact is expected to fall on future product introductions, though manufacturers may seek approval by demonstrating a device does not present the identified national security risks.
Manufacturers and companies developing or deploying robotics should anticipate significant regulatory scrutiny of their supply chains, robotic platform infrastructure, cybersecurity controls, and data handling practices.
The inclusion of connected power inverters reflects growing federal concern over the security of internet-connected technologies embedded within critical energy infrastructure, including AI data centres and renewable energy projects.
The Executive Branch’s national security determination noted that internet-connected inverters may allow malicious actors to remotely disable or manipulate inverter operations, collect sensitive operational data, or facilitate unauthorised remote access and surveillance.
As inverter-based resources become more widely deployed across battery energy storage systems and microgrids, federal regulators appear increasingly focused on reducing dependence on foreign-manufactured operational technology.
The FCC’s action marks another step in the federal government’s broader effort to secure critical technology supply chains supporting artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and the electric grid.
The move signals that connected operational technologies, including autonomous robotic systems, are increasingly being regulated through the lens of national security rather than traditional product safety or communications regulation.
Companies across the robotics, AI, energy, and critical infrastructure sectors should monitor these developments closely and evaluate how evolving federal requirements may affect technology sourcing, supply chain strategies, and product development decisions.