FCC Covered List Exemption: Drones, Routers and Robots Get Conditional Approval

What the FCC Announced

On October 2, 2026, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released Public Notice DA 26-1063. It says the Department of War (DoW) has granted Conditional Approval to three more sets of devices. As a result, these devices are now exempt from the FCC Covered List, which names equipment seen as an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security.

Which Devices Are Included

The newly approved devices are:

• Dronus S.p.A.: K500L uncrewed aircraft systems and the K500L docking station (Nest V2)
• Vivid-Hosting, LLC: its entire router product class, including the VH-109 (V1) and VH-109 (V2) robot radio routers
• Matic Robots, Inc.: Robotic Floor Cleaner Model 4MA0001 and Charging Dock Model 4DK0008

The Vivid-Hosting approval ends on March 28, 2028.

Why the FCC Covered List Exemption Matters

Foreign-made drones were added to the Covered List in December 2025. Foreign-made routers followed in March 2026, and foreign-made advanced robotic devices in July 2026. Each category has an exception for products that receive a Conditional Approval from the DoW or the Department of Homeland Security. In other words, a foreign-made product is treated as high risk unless the U.S. government decides otherwise.

This matters because covered equipment faces tough limits. For example, the FCC prohibits authorizations for covered equipment. Without an exemption, a device may struggle to reach the U.S. market.

The Conditions Behind the Approval

Onshoring Plan Requirements

The exemption is not unlimited. Each company must keep following the onshoring plan it submitted in its application. This plan describes how the company will build or expand manufacturing in the United States. Dronus and Matic Robots must also pass updated vetting of their products.

Risk of Losing Approval

An approval can be ended. If a company does not follow its onshoring plan, or if the U.S. government finds a false statement in the application, the device can return to the Covered List. For drones and robots without a stated end date, the approval stays valid only as long as the company keeps meeting these terms.

Who Is Affected

Supply Chain Compliance for Manufacturers

Appendix B of the notice lists many other approved products, including routers from Netgear, eero, Starlink, ASUS, Gemtek, Askey, and Sercomm, as well as drones from many different makers. Several of these companies are based in Taiwan, so the topic is directly relevant to Taiwan’s networking industry. Manufacturers should treat supply chain compliance as an ongoing duty, not a one-time form.

Buyers and Distributors

Importers, retailers, and network operators should also check the list. Buying a router or drone that is not covered by an approval could create legal and business risk. FCC staff will also give guidance to testing bodies, labs, and equipment authorization applicants on how these updates apply.

What Happens Next

The Covered List keeps changing. The FCC has updated it many times in 2026, and new approvals appear every few weeks. Companies that depend on foreign-made drones, routers, or robots should not assume that today’s list will stay the same.

Time limits also matter. Most router approvals in Appendix B end between October 2027 and March 2028. In July 2026, the DoW also said drone approvals will not end on December 31, 2026, if the company follows its onshoring plan and updated vetting. Even so, companies should track every end date and every condition in their own approval.

Conclusion

This notice shows that an FCC Covered List exemption is a privilege with strings attached, not a permanent pass. Approval opens the door to the U.S. market, but only companies that keep their promises on U.S. manufacturing and product vetting will stay inside.

Key Takeaways

• Check your status first. Confirm whether your products, or your suppliers’ products, appear in the Covered List or in Appendix B before you plan U.S. shipments.
• Prepare early if you need approval. Foreign producers should be ready to disclose corporate structure, manufacturing, and supply chain details, plus a clear onshoring plan.
• Treat the onshoring plan as a binding commitment. Assign an owner, set milestones, and keep evidence of progress.
• Calendar every end date. Router approvals expire between October 2027 and March 2028, so renewal planning should start well in advance.
• Protect your buyers. Importers and retailers should ask suppliers for written proof of approval and add contract terms for the case where an approval is ended.
• Monitor the FCC page regularly. The Covered List changes often, so review it on a fixed schedule.

Source of article
FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Public Notice DA 26-1063, released October 2, 2026 (WC Docket No. 18-89, ET Docket No. 21-232, EA Docket No. 21-233).
Covered List and Conditional Approvals: https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist