On July 28, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Public Notice updating the agency’s Covered List to include foreign-produced power inverters and advanced robotic devices. These additions follow the July 27, 2026, issuance of two National Security Determinations by a White House-convened Executive Branch interagency body deeming that inverters and robots pose unacceptable supply chain and cybersecurity risks.
As a result of their addition to the Covered List, new foreign-produced power inverters and advanced robotic devices cannot obtain FCC equipment authorization, which is required for most electronic devices before importation, marketing, or sale in the US.
The Covered List is maintained by the FCC under Section 2 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, and identifies equipment posing “an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.” Upon receiving a specific determination from a White House-convened Executive Branch interagency body, the FCC is required to add the equipment to the Covered List.
Listed equipment is barred from receiving an FCC equipment authorization under 47 CFR § 2.903(a), and applicants must certify their equipment is not “covered equipment” under 47 CFR § 2.911(d)(5)(i) — effectively barring new device models from sale and importation. In addition, FCC authorizations obtained for currently approved devices in these categories may be ineligible for streamlined procedures for “permissive change” modifications under 47 CFR § 2.932.
The National Security Determinations to the FCC on July 27 identified supply chain and cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure and US persons for power inverters and advanced robotic devices, respectively.
The power inverters National Security Determination found that foreign-produced or controlled inverters pose supply chain and cybersecurity risks, including the potential for foreign firms to remotely disable inverters or exfiltrate data. The determination covers power inverters produced in a foreign country, regardless of the producer’s nationality, “unless the Department of War or Department of Homeland Security makes a specific determination to the FCC that a given power inverter or class of power inverters do not pose such risks.”
The advanced robotic devices National Security Determination found that networked robotic systems create vulnerabilities that could allow bad actors to surveil Americans or to remotely commandeer robots. Similar to the power inverters National Security Determination, it covers all foreign-produced advanced robotic devices “unless the Department of War (DOW) transmits to the FCC a specific determination that a given foreign-produced advanced robotic device, or a class of such devices, does not pose such risks.”
The FCC concluded that each determination is a “specific determination” under the Secure Networks Act and added the identified equipment to the Covered List.
Notably, the FCC stated in an accompanying press release that consumers and retailers may continue using, selling, or importing previously authorized models, and federal government purchase or use is unaffected.
The FCC accepted the following definitions set forth in the National Security Determinations:
Similar to the processes for foreign-produced drones and routers, producers of inverters and advanced robotics may consider seeking Conditional Approvals exempting their devices from the Covered List. For power inverters, the US Department of Defense (Department of War or DOD)https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/restoring-the-united-states-department-of-war/. or the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) evaluates submissions; for advanced robotic device submissions, only DOD evaluates submissions. Applicants must submit information including (1) corporate structure and ownership disclosures; (2) manufacturing and supply chain disclosures, including justification for why the equipment is not currently manufactured in the US; and (3) a time-bound US onshoring plan with a point of contact for quarterly updates. Applications for Conditional Approval must be submitted by January 1, 2028.
We are following these developments closely and remain ready to assist with questions regarding the Covered List and obtaining Conditional Approvals for foreign-produced power inverters or advanced robotic devices affected under the FCC’s Public Notice.