US Imposes 100% Tariffs on Large Drones with Certain National Security Capabilities

The US government has taken a significant step in its efforts to bolster national security by imposing a broad set of tariffs on imported drones and drone components.

Key Developments

The White House announced the tariff policy on Thursday, which will impose 100% tariffs on larger drones weighing above 55 pounds with certain capabilities that are deemed 'particularly sensitive for national security purposes.'

Drones smaller than 55 pounds and lacking these sensitive capabilities will face a 25% levy.

The proclamation includes a special carve-out for several US allies, with EU-made drones facing a 15% tariff, Japanese-made drones at 10%, and UK-made drones at an even lower 5%.

Components considered not 'particularly sensitive' will be subject to levies after 180 days.

The order also allows the Commerce Secretary to create an 'onshoring program' to incentivize companies making new investments in drone manufacturing in the US.

In response to the announcement, several major US drone makers saw their stock prices rise, with Unusual Machines experiencing the largest bump of over 14% to $31.13.

Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, has been involved with Unusual Machines and has praised the company for bringing 'drone manufacturing jobs back to the USA.'

The latest tariffs appear to primarily target Chinese drone makers, such as DJI, which dominate the market. This follows other federal regulatory efforts to crack down on the proliferation of Chinese-made drones and drone components.