New U.S. tariffs on drones take effect

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An employee shows the new Mavic Pro 2 drone in a DJI store in Shanghai on May 22, 2019. President Donald Trump announced on August 13 tariffs of up to 100% on imports of unmanned drones and their components to reduce U.S. reliance on imports in an industry dominated by China. | Photo Credit: AFP

New U.S. tariffs of up to 100% took effect Thursday (September 3, 2026) on drones and certain components, as Washington pushes to lower its import reliance in an industry that China dominates.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order setting out the duties in August, as the White House flagged “the national security threat posed by imports of drones and their components”.

Drones with a takeoff weight exceeding 25 kilograms, as well as those with thermal imaging capabilities and docking stations face a 100% tariff.

Some components of drones that are “not particularly sensitive” will also face duties, but those only come into effect on February 9 next year.

China expressed opposition to the planned tariffs shortly after they were unveiled by Mr. Trump, with Beijing urging Washington to withdraw the duties.

A Commerce Ministry spokesman said the tariffs would “disrupt the global drone supply chain and further undermine a fair and competitive market environment”.

Chinese company DJI, which was founded in 2006, has captured more than two-thirds of the global drone market in recent years, according to several studies.

Since 2022, however, DJI has been on a U.S. list of Chinese firms linked to the country’s military and subject to restrictions on access to U.S. technology.

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