The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has narrowed its foreign-produced drone restrictions by removing a specific category of “Toy Drones” and “Toy Drones that contain foreign-produced components” from the FCC Covered List. The June 15, 2026, Public Notice follows a June 12, 2026, National Security Determination from the Department of War, which found that this defined class of devices does not pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security or to the safety and security of U.S. persons. The update refines the FCC’s broader December 2025 action, which added foreign-produced uncrewed aircraft systems and UAS critical components to the Covered List, subject to later specific determinations that particular systems or components do not present the same level of risk.
The key takeaway is that the exception is narrow. To qualify as a “Toy Drone,” a device must meet a detailed set of technical and marketing criteria, including a maximum take-off weight of 150 grams, line-of-sight operation of 100 meters or less, maximum sustained altitude of 300 feet, no GPS or equivalent navigation system, no internet, mobile app, cellular, or Wi-Fi connectivity, no imaging or sensing capabilities, flight time of 10 minutes or less, and marketing as a toy for recreational use. The Department of War framed the distinction around capability: low-risk toys lack the range, endurance, sensing, payload, connectivity, and data collection or storage features that raise national security concerns in more capable UAS.
For drone manufacturers, importers, retailers, and equipment authorization applicants, the notice offers a clearer view into how federal officials are separating low-risk consumer toy products from higher-risk drone systems. The Covered List now expressly excludes foreign-produced Toy Drones, as defined in the National Security Determination, and Toy Drones that contain foreign-produced components, while leaving the broader restrictions in place for foreign-produced UAS and UAS critical components that do not fit an exception. Companies should treat the update as a targeted compliance opening rather than a general relaxation of the FCC’s drone-related supply chain restrictions
