Tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on imported drones are being criticized on the grounds that they could lead to significant cost increases for public safety agencies and local governments. According to guidance published by US Customs and Border Protection, drones that use thermal imaging or weigh more than 55 pounds will face a 100% tariff starting Thursday, while smaller drones will be subject to a 25% tariff. For products from US allies, the rates have been set at 10% for the United Kingdom and 15% for the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan. A 25% tariff on “non-sensitive” drones that do not include thermal imaging, as well as their parts, will begin on 9 February 2027.
Trump argues that the measure will strengthen US national security by reducing dependence on drones manufactured in China. Critics, however, point out that Shenzhen-based DJI produces more than 70% of commercial drones and say the tariffs will “do more harm than good.” Thermal drones are used in public safety tasks such as finding missing people, monitoring wildfires, and carrying out police and rescue operations. Scott Mlakar, from police and fire departments in the Cleveland area, said the higher costs could make these tools inaccessible to communities that need them.
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) consideration of reclassifying some widely used drone technologies as “military-grade” is also drawing backlash. Experts say this could amount to a retroactive ban for thousands of businesses and public agencies. David Hood emphasized that LiDAR sensors are security and navigation technology, not military technology, and that these systems are used to prevent collisions. He warned that cutting off access to drones equipped with LiDAR could force agencies to turn to lower-specification vehicles with a higher risk of collisions.
Jason Lee of the Texas police said there is no economically viable domestic alternative to DJI drones and that these vehicles were used in more than 80% of state and local law enforcement programs reviewed in 2024. The American Gas Association also reported that energy utilities serving 74 million US households need 55-pound thermal drones equipped with LiDAR for vegetation management, pipeline inspections, and disaster response. While officials are calling for tariff exemptions for public agencies and permission to import repair parts, some critics argue that the decision is aimed more at “protectionism” than national security.
Why it matters
Tariffs could affect not only the cost of purchasing drones but also public agencies’ ability to operate and upgrade their existing fleets. Limited access to thermal and LiDAR systems used for tasks such as searching for missing people, monitoring fires, law enforcement operations, and inspecting energy infrastructure could push agencies toward lower-specification vehicles. This could require local governments, police and fire departments, and energy organizations in particular to reassess their budgets and operational plans. If FCC classifies some technologies as military-grade, the regulation’s retroactive impact on vehicles and parts already in use remains uncertain. At the center of the debate is the question of how to strike a balance between national security objectives and the needs of public safety services.
Background
Trump is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 8 articles mentioning the name in the last 90 days; the most recent was dated September 5, 2026.