U.S. Expands Restrictions on Foreign-Made Devices to Include Drones, Routers, and Vacuum Robots The U.S. is expanding FCC restrictions originally targeting Chinese telecommunications equipment to now include drones, routers, and vacuum robots, amid ongoing debate over policy effectiveness and supply chain substitution capabilities. The U.S. government is broadening its scope of restrictions on foreign-manufactured devices, extending beyond Chinese telecommunications equipment to encompass consumer goods such as drones, routers, and vacuum robots. Washington states this move aims to reduce national security risks; however, the actual effectiveness of the measures and the feasibility of supply substitution remain contentious issues. FullscreenPlayNextMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration -:- According to The Verge, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has continuously tightened regulations on foreign-manufactured electronic devices since Donald Trump’s second term began. For over a decade, the U.S. has regarded Chinese telecommunications manufacturers such as Huawei and ZTE as threats to national security. Subsequently, Washington restricted approval of new devices from these companies and required carriers to remove and replace existing equipment. However, some carriers have yet to complete this replacement process. Since December last year, regulatory control has been expanded to include foreign-made drones. In March this year, the FCC added consumer routers to the list of devices under stricter review, and in July further extended restrictions to advanced robots and power inverters. The regulations on robots apply not only to autonomous robots but also to vacuum cleaners and lawn-mowing robots that meet certain criteria. The core of the policy lies in the FCC’s restriction on device approvals. In principle, products manufactured abroad and listed under these restrictions will not be approved for new sales in the U.S. However, previously approved products may still be sold or used. In some cases, the U.S. government may grant exceptions through conditional approvals. The FCC argues that foreign-manufactured devices could be exploited to leak personal data, be remotely controlled, or disrupt telecommunications networks. Conversely, some critics argue that there is insufficient publicly available documentation detailing specific risks for each product category, and that criteria for granting exceptions lack transparency. In practice, Netgear and Asus have received conditional approvals for certain router models. Meanwhile, TP-Link, a company with Chinese origins, is facing difficulties introducing new products to the U.S. market; the company has even announced plans to invest approximately $1 billion to manufacture routers in the U.S. The challenge of securing alternative supply chains is no simple matter. The majority of drones and routers sold in the U.S. are currently manufactured abroad, and the vacuum robot market is also heavily influenced by Chinese companies. The U.S. government expects these new measures to support domestic production and strengthen supply chain security. However, some voices express concern that these policies may reduce consumer choices and drive up product prices. By Choi Jae-won