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US market access, explained

The short answer: since 28 July 2026, a US rule has stopped new foreign-produced advanced robots, a category that takes in most home robots, from receiving the authorisation they need to be imported, marketed or sold in the US, unless they qualify for an exemption or an approval. Robots authorised before that date may still be sold, with limits on later changes. For every robot on this site that is offered or shown in the US, whether the rule affects it has not been established, and each robot’s page says “Unknown” until it is.

This page explains the rule in general terms. It is not legal advice, and it does not say whether buying any particular robot is lawful.

What the rule is

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) keeps a “Covered List” of equipment it treats as a national-security risk. Equipment on the list cannot receive an FCC equipment authorisation, and without one a new device cannot be imported, marketed or sold in the US. On 28 July 2026, “foreign-produced advanced robotic devices” were added to the list, with immediate effect.12

The definition is broad. It covers robots that move on the ground, including humanoids, quadrupeds and wheeled or tracked platforms, that can operate at a distance from a human operator, weigh more than 4.4 pounds (2 kg), have a sensor, controlling software and a data connection of at least 200 kbps. It also covers the AI models that operate them, whether on the robot or remotely.1 Almost every robot this site lists fits that description physically. What decides whether the rule applies is where the robot is produced.

What “foreign-produced” means

A robot is foreign-produced unless it counts as a domestic end product: made in the US, with US-made components accounting for more than a set share of the cost of all its components. The share is 65% for robots delivered through 2028 and 75% from 2029.1 Being designed or assembled in the US is not enough on its own; the component share has to be met too.

What “grandfathered” allows, and what it does not

Robots that received an FCC equipment authorisation before 28 July 2026 may still be imported, marketed and sold. But they may not be modified, except for certain software and firmware updates allowed under an FCC waiver that runs until 1 January 2029. Hardware changes are not covered by that waiver.12

So “grandfathered” is not the same as “unaffected”. And a robot that had been developed, or was sitting in a warehouse, but had not been authorised by 28 July 2026 is not grandfathered at all.1

Other routes

A foreign-produced robot can still reach US customers through a conditional approval from the US Department of War, applied for by 1 January 2028.1 None has been reported for a robot listed on this site.

Where the listed robots stand

Every robot below has its US market access recorded as Unknown. The reason differs:

  • NEO (on preorder in the US): built at 1X’s own factory in California, which could place it outside the rule, but its US-made component share has not been published, and neither has whether it was authorised before the deadline.
  • Isaac 1 (on preorder in the US): Weave says it is “designed and assembled in San Francisco”, but has not published its component share or its authorisation status.
  • Flourish 1 (taking reservations): made by a US company, but where it is built, its component share and its authorisation status have not been published.
  • Memo (not yet on sale): where it is manufactured has not been published, and it is not yet purchasable anywhere.
  • onero H1 (listed as “Coming Soon” in the US at USD 9,999): made by a company based in Shenzhen, China, so it falls under the rule. Whether it was authorised before the deadline, or whether SwitchBot has sought an approval, has not been published.
  • GR-3 (offered only in mainland China): made in China and shown publicly in the US, but no US sale has been announced.

The robots offered only in mainland China with no US plans announced, such as Futuring 2, Bajie and SeeLight S1, have no US market-access entry, because there is nothing yet to assess.

Why this site says “Unknown” rather than guessing

A vendor can take orders for a robot that has no legal route to US customers, and nothing on its order page would tell you. Whether a robot is authorised, exempt or approved is a fact that has to be published somewhere, by the FCC, the vendor or a reliable report. Until it is, this site does not infer it from where a company is based or where a robot is assembled, and publishes the answer as “Unknown”. When the evidence appears, the robot’s page changes.

If you are in the US and considering a preorder, it is reasonable to ask the vendor directly whether the robot has an FCC equipment authorisation, and if not, how it will be lawfully delivered. What to ask before buying a home robot has the other questions worth asking.

Notes

  1. Sidley Austin, “FCC Adds All Foreign-Produced Advanced Robotic Devices to the Covered List”, 2026-08-07. https://www.sidley.com/en/insights/newsupdates/2026/08/fcc-adds-all-foreign-produced-advanced-robotic-devices-to-the-covered-list ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  2. Wiley Rein, “FCC Adds Foreign-Produced Power Inverters and Advanced Robotic Devices to the Covered List”, 2026-07-30. https://www.wiley.law/alert-FCC-Adds-Foreign-Produced-Power-Inverters-and-Advanced-Robotic-Devices-to-the-Covered-List ↩ ↩2

Last updated 2026-10-08.