The Trump administration has imposed steep new tariffs on foreign-made drones, including a 100 percent levy on imports with thermal imaging or weighing over 55 pounds, prompting warnings from critics that the move will harm public safety and damage thousands of US businesses. The White House argues the tariffs will boost national security by reducing reliance on Chinese manufacturers, but opponents note a single Chinese firm, DJI, makes over 70 percent of the world's commercial drones, meaning there is no ready domestic alternative for essential equipment used by police, firefighters and rescue services.

Under guidance from US Customs and Border Protection, smaller drones face a 25 percent tariff, while allied nations have been hit with lower but still significant rates: 10 percent on British-made drones and 15 percent on those from the EU, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and Liechtenstein. A further 25 percent tariff on "nonsensitive" drones without thermal imaging is due from February 2027. Separately, the Federal Communications Commission is weighing whether to reclassify common drone technologies, including LiDAR sensors, as "military grade," a move industry figures and public safety officials warn could amount to an "industry-killing ban" and force operators towards less capable, less safe aircraft.