China’s DJI holds an estimated 70-80% share of the global market for commercial UAS.
Operators and casual users of commercially available drones may soon need to pay more for their preferred models or switch to American-made alternatives.
The White House on Thursday proclaimed new tariffs on foreign-made drones and their components that possess capabilities it deems “particularly sensitive for national security purposes.” That includes a 100 percent ad valorem tariff on drones with maximum takeoff weight above 55 pounds or that have “certain capabilities,” such as thermal imaging.
Hobbyist drone pilots typically fly drones weighing under 55 pounds, the FAA’s cap for a model to be considered a small uncrewed aircraft system (UAS). But the 100 percent import duty would affect larger drones used for commercial purposes, such as crop spraying.
Smaller drones with “capabilities that particularly implicate national security” also face a 25 percent levy. The tariff on drones and components made in Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the European Union is capped at 15 percent. Products built in the U.K. are limited to a 10 percent levy.
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