Trump announces tariffs of up to 100 pct on imported drones

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports of unmanned drones and their components to reduce U.S. reliance on imports in an industry dominated by China.

Trump justified the decision on national security grounds, according to a White House statement on Aug. 13.

Those with a takeoff weight of more than 25 kilograms and with so-called national security capabilities such as thermal cameras and docking stations will be tariffed at 100 percent.

Smaller drones face a 25 percent tariff.

The statement said the tariffs will "encourage increased domestic production" of drones and their components and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
Most of the new tariffs are to take effect Sept. 3.

The Chinese company DJI, founded in 2006, has captured more than two-thirds of the global drone market in recent years, according to several studies.

Since 2022, DJI has been on a U.S. list of Chinese companies linked to the country's military and therefore subject to restrictions on access to U.S. technology.

Last week, China announced restrictions on drone exports to the United States and blacklisted six companies in response to trade sanctions imposed by Washington over forced labor and national security concerns.