Newly launched foreign-made drones aren’t allowed into the US under Federal Communications Commission restrictions – but now the drones that are allowed are about to be hit with higher import taxes. On August 13, US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs across several categories of drones in a move that will likely raise prices for aerial photographers and videographers.
The largest tariffs in the measure are the oversized military drones that weigh more than 25 kg, which will soon face a 100 percent tariff. But the smaller drones built for photo and video will also be affected, as smaller drones will face a 25 percent tariff.
Drones from certain regions will have a lower import tax, with a 15 percent tariff on drones coming from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan. The lowest tariff rate is a 10 percent tariff applied to drones from the United Kingdom, provided that a majority of the hardware and software also originates from the UK.
I’m an American and a licensed drone pilot and photographer. The additional tariffs are a devastating blow to an already hurting aerial photography and videography industry.
The FCC restrictions on foreign drones already in place mean that the newest drones don’t get the necessary approval to be sold in the US. But the tariffs – which are set to be put in place 21 days from the announcement – are likely to make the drones that are available in the US more expensive.
Under the new measures, previously announced drones, including those from DJI, that are still available with the FCC restrictions would see a 25 percent increase in import taxes.
Photographers have already seen what increased tariffs do to camera prices, as several camera brands raised prices last year amid last year’s tariffs. Some of those tariffs were turned down by the Supreme Court.
The tariffs come as the FCC considers revoking the authorization for previously approved drones that meet a certain set of features, including using LiDAR. A handful of popular consumer drones use LiDAR, including the DJI Mini 5 Pro and the DJI Avata 360. The FCC is seeking public comment on the possible move until September 02.
While new DJI and other foreign-made drones are no longer eligible to obtain the necessary FCC authorization to launch in the US, DJI has filed a lawsuit over the ban, a legal battle that remains ongoing.
Both the tariffs and the FCC restrictions are meant to strengthen US drone production. The White House says that relying on foreign sources for UAVs “poses significant risk to US national security and creates cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”
The challenge for drone photographers, as well as general consumers and first responders using consumer-grade drones, is that the US companies that build drones offer devices for military, agriculture, inspection, and Hollywood-level films, but American drone companies do not yet offer consumer-grade drones after Skydio dropped out of the consumer market.
Another key challenge to building a US-based supply chain is that many components are heavily sourced overseas, including the rare earth magnets used in drone motors and lithium used in batteries.
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