Trump declares 100 percent tariffs on many drones and all aircraft parts
President Trump has imposed 100% tariffs on drones with thermal cameras, drones over 25kg, and all parts for unmanned aircraft over 25kg, while most other drones face a 25% duty. Companies that commit to US manufacturing may avoid the tariffs.
The Trump administration announced a new trade action that sharply raises import duties on drones and related components. A 100% tariff will apply to drones equipped with thermal cameras, drones weighing more than 25 kilograms (57 pounds), and any part for unmanned aircraft weighing more than 25 kilograms. All other drones, including sub-250-gram consumer "Mini" models, will face a 25% tariff.
The measure includes a significant exemption: companies that pledge to manufacture some of their drones or aircraft parts in the United States can avoid the duties entirely. This mirrors an approach Trump floated last year when he threatened similar tariffs on computer chips. Lower rates are also granted to selected allies: 15% for the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan, and 10% for the United Kingdom, provided nearly all hardware, software and technology originate from those countries and the United States.
The administration cites national security concerns as the reason. According to the proclamation, US commercial drone manufacturers depend heavily on foreign suppliers for critical components such as motors, electronic speed controllers, lithium-ion batteries and docking stations, creating what officials call unacceptable security vulnerabilities. The documents also warn that some products pose an information technology security risk because the software can transmit data back to manufacturers abroad, and that US industry may not be able to produce drones and parts fast enough and at sufficient scale to support national security operations, including wartime surges, or to sustain long-term economic competitiveness.
Trump is also offering incentives. The proclamation authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to create a new program aimed at encouraging investment in US production facilities for drones and drone parts. So far, though, government drone incentives have generally been geared toward military applications.
The move is part of a broader pattern that has drawn legal challenges. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump's global tariffs were illegal, and the US Court of International Trade also ruled against them. Trump has continued to announce new tariffs regardless. Critics say the tariffs have mainly enriched corporations at the expense of ordinary citizens: companies raise prices to cover tariff costs, later obtain large government refunds when the tariffs are struck down, and keep the profits without lowering prices or passing refunds to consumers.
The tariffs are not the only attempt to restrict foreign drones in the US. The Federal Communications Commission recently threatened to retroactively ban "military-grade" drones using definitions that could also ensnare drones used by farmers, first responders and light shows.
