WASHINGTON — A previously authorised Unitree G1 can still be imported, sold and used in the American market. The next Unitree humanoid may not pass through the same door. On 28 July 2026, the US Federal Communications Commission added foreign-produced advanced robotic devices to its Covered List, preventing new models from receiving the equipment authorisation normally required for import, marketing and sale in the United States.
The measure is widely described as a ban on new Chinese robots, and Chinese manufacturers are its most obvious commercial target. Legally, however, it is broader. The restriction applies to qualifying mobile robots produced outside the United States, regardless of the manufacturer’s nationality, unless the US Department of War grants a conditional approval.
Previously authorised models are not automatically removed. The FCC says owners may continue using robots they have already acquired, while retailers can continue importing and selling models authorised before the change. That distinction places Unitree in an awkward but not immediately catastrophic position.
Why Unitree is exposed
Unitree told investors that its existing humanoid and quadruped robots have FCC certification, but warned that future products could be excluded from the US market. The company also disclosed that overseas business generated more than 40 per cent of revenue during each reported period, with the United States contributing 18.39 per cent, 19.54 per cent and 13.30 per cent across those periods.
The restriction therefore does not amount to an overnight disappearance of the Unitree G1 or other cleared machines. It creates a barrier around the company’s next generation. Any future model requiring fresh equipment authorisation would encounter the restriction just as Unitree is trying to turn low-cost hardware and highly visible demonstrations into a larger international business.
The policy reaches beyond bipeds. The FCC category covers mobile robots such as humanoids and quadrupeds with networked sensing, computing and physical movement. Fixed industrial arms, medical devices, road vehicles, aircraft and several other classes are excluded. The central security argument is that connected robots can collect sensitive data, expose supply chains and, in the most serious scenario described by US authorities, be remotely commandeered.
What changes for robot buyers
For American universities, laboratories and businesses, regulatory status has become another line on the specification sheet. Price, payload, hands, runtime and software access still matter, but buyers must now confirm whether the exact model has an existing FCC authorisation and whether future replacements, hardware revisions or upgraded versions can legally enter the country.
That matters because affordable Chinese platforms have become practical research tools. Anton Robots lists the compact Unitree G1 from $13,500 and the full-size Unitree H2 from $29,900, before freight, tax, customs, accessories and support. Both are better understood as research and development platforms than production-ready workers. The new rule does not change their technical capabilities, but it may alter their availability, replacement options and total ownership risk.
Before ordering, US buyers should ask the supplier for the exact model number, FCC identifier, production location, import status, warranty arrangements and a written explanation of what happens if the robot needs replacement hardware. Buyers should also check whether an EDU configuration, new hand, communications module or control computer is covered by the same authorisation as the base machine.
A comparison that ignores certification is now incomplete. Anton Robots’ robot comparison tool and 2026 humanoid robot price guide can help buyers compare specifications, prices and commercial status, but legal availability must be confirmed for the destination market and exact configuration.
A market divided by geography
US manufacturers may gain breathing room from Chinese price competition and a stronger incentive to build domestic supply chains. American researchers and software start-ups may lose access to future low-cost platforms used for locomotion, manipulation and embodied-AI development. Protecting domestic robot production and preserving inexpensive research hardware are related goals, but they are not identical.
Outside the United States, Unitree can continue selling into China, Europe, the Middle East and much of Asia, subject to local rules. Counterpoint Research estimated that China accounted for more than four-fifths of global humanoid installations in 2025, with Unitree holding 26.4 per cent of the market. That gives Chinese manufacturers large markets in which to ship machines, gather operating experience and reduce costs even if the American route narrows.
For buyers, the immediate question is no longer simply whether a humanoid can perform a task or fit a budget. It is whether the exact machine can be authorised, imported, updated, replaced and supported in the intended market. The United States has made geography part of the robot specification sheet.