President Donald Trump has announced a new set of tariffs targeting unmanned aircraft systems and related components. The action imposes a 100 percent duty on imports of drones equipped with thermal cameras, drones exceeding 25 kilograms in weight, and parts for any unmanned aircraft over that weight threshold. Consumer drones weighing less than 250 grams face a reduced 25 percent tariff rate.
The tariff structure includes a significant carryover from earlier trade policies, offering relief to certain countries. The European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan receive a 15 percent rate, while the United Kingdom qualifies for a 10 percent rate. These reduced rates apply provided that substantially all hardware, software, and technology originate from within these countries and the United States.
The proclamation incorporates a mechanism to encourage domestic manufacturing. Trump has authorized the Secretary of Commerce to establish a program designed to incentivize new investment in U.S. production facilities for unmanned aircraft systems and components. Additionally, companies that commit to manufacturing some of their drones or aircraft parts domestically can avoid tariff obligations entirely, following a pattern Trump employed with previous trade threats.
The tariff announcement arrives amid ongoing legal challenges to Trump’s broader tariff strategy. The Supreme Court previously ruled against his global tariffs earlier this year, with the U.S. Court of International Trade also issuing an adverse ruling, though Trump has continued announcing additional tariff measures. Separately, the FCC has pursued regulatory measures against larger foreign drones, recently threatening retroactive bans on drones it defines as military-grade, a classification critics argue would affect agricultural, emergency response, and entertainment applications as well.
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