The FCC bans all robot vacuums made outside the U.S.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has added “advanced robotic devices” made outside the country to its Covered List, effectively banning foreign-made mobile robots from being imported or sold in the U.S.—including robot vacuums. The FCC says the restriction applies to communications equipment and services it considers an “unacceptable risk” to national security, and products on the list are barred from receiving FCC equipment authorization. The definition cited by the FCC includes mobile, autonomous navigation robots with sensor perception, network connectivity of at least 200 kbps, and software controlling navigation or remote command-and-control, with total weight over 4.4 lbs.