In July and August, Washington increased restrictions on foreign-made advanced robotic systems and imposed steep tariffs on imported drones and their components, citing national security concerns. The drone tariffs take effect in September, while additional component tariffs will follow in 2027.

These actions build on broader U.S. efforts to limit foreign technology in strategic industries. Established in 2021, the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Covered List initially targeted telecommunications and surveillance equipment from firms like Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision before expanding to foreign drones and advanced robotics.

Industry analysts report that while U.S. restrictions may shield domestic markets, they do not counter China's extensive manufacturing scale and cost efficiencies, leading to an increasingly fragmented global robotics landscape.

Key Data and Market Statistics:

• 22,000 units: Total global humanoid robot shipments in the first half of the year, according to Counterpoint.
• 86% market share: Controlled by the world’s top five humanoid robot makers in the first half of 2026—AgiBot, Unitree, Galbot, UBTECH, and Leju Robotics—all of which are based in China.
• Two distinct drone ecosystems: An emerging division between U.S.-led, NDAA-compliant systems and China-led, low-cost, high-volume production models.

Ankur Saxena, investment director at TDK Ventures, noted that robotics differs from semiconductors because it does not depend on a single technology controlled by one nation. Saxena stated that while the U.S. leads in frontier AI, software, and semiconductor innovation, China leads in supply-chain depth, manufacturing scale, and cost.

Barred from parts of the U.S. market, Chinese robotics firms are directing their expansion toward price-sensitive regions experiencing labor shortages, including Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, according to Counterpoint Research analyst Soumen Mandal.

U.S. and allied companies are increasingly targeting specialized sectors where security compliance is prioritized, such as defense and critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, Asian manufacturers in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are emerging as potential middle-ground providers between lower-cost Chinese hardware and higher-priced American systems.