Covered List Toy Drones Removal

The FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau removes foreign-produced “Toy Drones” and “Toy Drones that contain foreign-produced components” from the FCC Covered List based on a Department of War determination that they do not pose an unacceptable national-security or U.S.-person safety risk.

What it does The notice updates the Covered List under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act and FCC rules §§ 1.50002(a) and 1.50003. The exemption applies only to devices meeting every criterion in the appended determination:

A device is considered a Toy Drone only if it meets all of the below criteria: • Maximum Take-off Weight is equal to or less than 150 grams; • Operation is limited to line-of-sight operations equal to or less than 100 meters; • Maximum sustained altitude must be equal to or less than 300 feet; • No GPS/GNSS or equivalent system (e.g., no return-to-home, waypoint missions, or subject tracking); • No connectivity or network capability (e.g., no connection to Internet, mobile apps, cellular networks, Wi-Fi), but may include a dedicated radio-frequency link between controller and drone, typically on 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz bands; o Radio frequences and WiFi Channels may not be modifiable or programmable and must conform to FCC regulatory requirements; • No imaging or sensing capabilities (e.g., no photo/video camera, microphones, live video feed, onboard recording, or sensors capable of surveillance or data gathering on the toy); • Flight time must be equal to or less than 10 minutes; • Maximum horizontal speed must be equal to or less than 10 meters/second; • Explicitly marketed as a toy for recreational use; • No modular payload interface, such as airdrop and release mechanisms, searchlights and strobes, and micro-FPV cameras and protection cages; • Does not contain brushless motors; and • Is not produced by an entity identified in Section 1709 of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

Who it affects The change affects foreign-produced toy-drone manufacturers, importers, equipment authorization applicants, testing laboratories, and Telecommunications Certification Bodies. It does not remove the broader foreign-produced UAS and UAS-critical-component category or other Covered List entries.

Why it matters The notice creates a narrowly defined exclusion from the UAS Covered List while preserving the broader restriction on foreign-produced UAS. The determination remains effective unless superseded, and FCC staff will provide implementation guidance.

Key dates and numbers

• June 12, 2026: DoW determination received by PSHSB.
• June 15, 2026: notice released and Covered List updated.
• December 22, 2025: foreign-produced UAS category originally added.
• January 1, 2027: existing Blue UAS and domestic-end-product exceptions remain scheduled to last until this date.