On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued two public notices aimed at tightening control over the drone supply chain, extending certainty for manufacturers cleared under existing security reviews while opening a comment period on a broader sales ban targeting foreign-made military-grade drones.

In the first action, the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau extended exceptions to the agency's Covered List for drones and components on the Department of War's Blue UAS List and those meeting the Buy American standard of at least 65 percent domestic content by value. Those exemptions, previously set to expire January 1, 2027, now run through January 1, 2028. The bureau also removed the expiration date entirely for drones and components that have received Conditional Approval from the Department of War following a commitment to onshore production, giving those manufacturers indefinite regulatory certainty.

The Covered List decision was first announced in December 2025, following an Executive Branch determination that foreign-produced uncrewed aircraft systems and critical components posed unacceptable national security risks. That action barred new equipment authorizations for covered drones and components, though it did not affect products already sold in the U.S. The FCC has since carved out exemptions for products cleared through the Blue UAS List, the Buy American standard, or Conditional Approval.

In the second action, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau and the Office of Engineering and Technology issued a public notice seeking comment on whether the FCC should prohibit the import, marketing, or sale of certain categories of foreign-produced military-grade drones already on the Covered List for non-federal use. The categories under consideration include swarming drones, drones designed to integrate defense articles, thermal imaging drones, lidar-equipped drones, aerosol drones capable of dispensing what the FAA classifies as "economic poison," drone docking stations, and drones weighing 55 pounds or more.

The proposal would not apply to drones or components that already qualify for exemptions under Blue UAS, Buy American standard, or Conditional Approval status. It also would exclude drones imported or sold for federal government use, products used for commercial testing and development, and the continued operation of drones already purchased. Public comments are due 30 days after the notice publishes in the Federal Register.

In its announcement, the FCC claims that the exemption structure has driven more than $4 billion into U.S.-based drone and related manufacturing since December, along with hundreds of thousands of square feet of manufacturing space and thousands of jobs created.

The announcements follow a series of drone-related actions the FCC has taken this month, which it points out in this notice. On Tuesday, the agency opened a revocation proceeding against Odyssey Robot over authorizations the company allegedly obtained by falsely claiming U.S. production, which the FCC described as its first such revocation case. Last week, the FCC sought comment on prohibiting the sale of covered equipment made by several named foreign manufacturers. Earlier in July, the agency also issued guidance to help state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement and correctional agencies implement counter-drone measures under the SAFER SKIES Act.