VANCOUVER, British Columbia - eTradeWire -- New foreign-produced robot models in scope of the US rule cannot get FCC equipment authorization without a Conditional Approval. Eleven weeks after the rule took effect, only three robot product lines have one, per a KeepRobots review of FCC documents as of October 11:

- DA 26-957 (September 9): Husqvarna AB (Sweden), 305v IQ, 310v IQ, 420v IQ and 440v IQ
- DA 26-996 (September 18): ANSCER Robotics (India), AR250, AR650 and AR1250
- DA 26-1063 (October 2): Matic Robots, Inc., floor cleaner 4MA0001 and dock 4DK0008

Each is tied to a US onshoring plan and can be terminated.

What the rule does and doesn't do

The rule (DA 26-786) took effect July 28. "Foreign-produced" depends on where a robot is made, not who owns the company, so robots built in Canada or Europe are covered too. Models authorized before July 28 can still be imported, sold and used, and FCC order DA 26-789 allows mitigating software and firmware updates on them until at least January 1, 2029. Repairs and identical-part replacements are not prohibited, per the FCC's FAQ. Canada certifies radio equipment separately (ISED); KeepRobots found no similar Canadian measure as of October 11.

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So already-authorized robots installed in the US matter more now, and keeping them running takes local repair and parts. Sources: https://keeprobots.com/notes/fcc-covered-list-robots-canada-vs-us/

KeepRobots' October 12 report found, in a non-exhaustive public sample, no service locations of robot makers from China in the US Pacific Northwest or Western Canada. Its illustrative model puts one US field engineer at about US$140,000 a year fully loaded, or about US$467 per on-site hour at 300 hours a year. Summary: https://keeprobots.com/reports/robot-north-america-field-service-2026/

What robot makers should do now

1. Check every FCC ID you sell in the US; for models authorized before July 28, stock spare parts and plan firmware support.
2. Have US counsel test any new US model against Appendix C of DA 26-786, then choose between Conditional Approval and US production.

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3. Decide who goes on site, and in which country, before signing. Cross-border repair by a third-party technician is not clearly covered by business-visitor rules.

Disclosure: KeepRobots sells field service; none of the companies named is a customer or partner. Not legal advice.

About KeepRobots

KeepRobots is a Vancouver company providing on-site deployment, repair, maintenance, demos and spare-parts storage for robots made by others, across Canada and the US, in English and Chinese. Not affiliated with Keep Robotics.