Sensitive drones above 25kg or equipped with thermal imaging will face a 100% import duty, while smaller drones will attract a 25% tariff.
The move threatens Chinese manufacturers such as DJI, which holds around 70% of the US commercial drone market.
Washington says the tariffs will boost domestic drone production and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers amid growing national-security concerns.
US President Donald Trump has declared import duties reaching 100 per cent on foreign drones and parts to boost domestic production and secure supply chains.
The White House will levy a 100 per cent tariff on sensitive unmanned aircraft weighing more than 25kg or equipped with thermal imaging capabilities. Drones with a maximum take-off weight of 25kg or less face a 25 per cent tariff.
1 August 2026
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The White House stated the tariffs will "encourage increased domestic production" and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
Global Tariffs And Timelines
Most of the new tariffs will take effect 21 days after signing. Tariffs on drone components not considered sensitive will take effect 180 days after signing.
For products and components approved for exemption from the Federal Communications Commission Covered List by the Department of War within 20 days of signing, the tariffs will also take effect 180 days after signing.
Washington has also imposed a 15 per cent tariff on drone imports from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan.
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A 10 per cent tariff applies to drones from the UK, provided substantially all of their hardware, software and technology originate in the UK or the US.
Impact On Chinese Dominance
The decision comes as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on Chinese drone technology, the Financial Times reported, as reported by Livemint.
Shenzhen-based DJI Technologies accounted for about 70 per cent of the US commercial drone market as of last year.
The announcement could severely affect the Chinese drone market. It is likely to increase pressure ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
Craig Singleton, an expert on US-China technology competition, told the Financial Times that the move was a "big deal" because it would reshape the commercial marketplace, reports said.
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Singleton said US commercial and government buyers would need to make an immediate "capital-intensive pivot" to suppliers based in the US or allied nations.
The development comes a week after China restricted drone exports to the US and blacklisted six companies. Beijing took this action in response to trade sanctions imposed by Washington over forced labour and national security concerns.
National Security And Warfare
In the proclamation, Trump said unmanned aircraft systems are "essential to the national and economic security" of the US.
The move follows earlier regulatory actions. In December last year, the Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on imports of Chinese drones by halting wireless communications approvals for adversary countries.
According to Bloomberg, Washington's push to safeguard its domestic drone industry has gained urgency as the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the growing role of drones in modern combat.
Their use by both Russia and Ukraine to defend and capture territory has contributed to a new form of hybrid warfare.
