A MassRobotics survey of 14 robotics companies shows July's FCC decision splitting the industry along a single line — where they manufacture. Every firm producing in the US views it favourably, every firm dependent on overseas manufacturing calls it negative or neutral. The results were published on 31 August 2026 and covered more widely on 8 September.
Key takeaways
- The FCC added foreign-produced advanced robotics devices and power inverters to the Covered List in July 2026
- The survey covered 14 companies, from solo founders to 200+ employees, between 17 and 23 August
- The split in sentiment maps exactly onto manufacturing location, with no middle cases
- Hardest to source domestically: motors, sensors, power supplies and DC-DC converters, and cheap robot arms
- The most requested support is a vetted domestic supplier network
The split runs through the factory floor
The result is unusually clean for a survey. There is no distribution with a majority in the middle — there is a break.
Firms manufacturing in the States see a competitive advantage in the rule. Firms dependent on overseas supply describe a problem. One noted that the rule landing now favours a competitor that had already moved production.
What cannot be bought domestically
The shortfall list is specific: motors, sensors, power supplies and DC-DC converters, and robot arms, especially in cheaper classes.
Virtually every affordable power supply or DC/DC converter is made in East Asia.
A survey response quoted by MassRobotics.
What companies are asking for
The ranking opens with a vetted domestic supplier network. Next come legal guidance on Conditional Approval rules and a longer transition period — around 18 months was suggested.
Some firms want the rule rescinded, some need no support at all because they already comply. One small company is considering relocating its headquarters to the US.
Why it matters
A rule framed as a security measure works as industrial policy, and it settles competition between companies rather than between states. Whoever moved production in time collects a premium. Whoever did not, pays. It hits the smallest hardest, because a cheap converter from Asia is the difference between a product and a prototype for them. A survey of 14 responses is not representative, but the direction of the split is unambiguous.
What's next
- MassRobotics says it will build a vetted domestic supplier network and issue regulatory guidance
- Companies suggest an 18-month transition period, which the rule currently does not provide
- The distinction between allied and non-allied suppliers remains unresolved
Sources
- MassRobotics — FCC Covered List Ruling: Member Survey Results
- The AI Insider — MassRobotics Surveys Companies on FCC Robotics Ruling
