Shopping for drones online? FCC wants more transparency

Shopping for a drone on Amazon or another online marketplace could soon become a little more transparent, and potentially a lot more secure.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed new rules that would require online marketplaces to display FCC certification IDs for wireless devices while also closing a longstanding loophole that has allowed products containing certain restricted electronic components to enter the US market. While the proposal covers a broad range of connected electronics, drones and critical drone components are specifically in the agency’s sights.

If adopted, the changes could affect everyone from drone manufacturers and online retailers to hobbyists and commercial operators buying aircraft, controllers, radios, or other wireless accessories.

More information before you click ‘Buy’

For many consumers, buying a drone online often comes down to comparing prices, reviews, and shipping times. But the FCC wants shoppers to have another piece of information before they add an item to their cart: its FCC ID.

Under Chairman Brendan Carr’s proposal, e-commerce platforms would be required to display FCC IDs for FCC-certified devices sold through their marketplaces. The requirement would apply even when platforms are selling products on behalf of third-party vendors.

That may sound like a minor change, but it would make it easier for buyers to verify whether a wireless device has been properly authorized by the FCC before purchasing it. It would also give regulators another tool to identify products that shouldn’t be sold in the United States.

The proposal builds on Operation Clean Carts, an initiative launched last year in partnership with major online marketplaces to remove unauthorized electronic equipment from online listings. According to the FCC, the effort has already resulted in more than 4 million devices being removed from sale.

Closing a major loophole

The proposal’s biggest change, however, isn’t about online shopping; it’s about what’s inside the devices themselves. The FCC maintains a Covered List of companies whose communications equipment is considered a national security risk and therefore cannot receive authorization for sale in the United States.

But under current rules, there’s a significant exception. A finished product made by one of those companies is prohibited. Yet if another manufacturer builds essentially the same product using electronic components supplied by a Covered List company, that finished device can still receive FCC authorization.

According to the FCC, that creates a loophole because some of those embedded components are technically capable of affecting or compromising the operation of the entire device.

Carr’s proposal would close that gap by extending restrictions to nearly all logic-bearing hardware components — electronic parts capable of processing, storing, or transmitting information. Only simple mechanical items, such as screws, nails, or other “dumb” components, would remain exempt.

The FCC has been working toward this change for several years. It first proposed closing the loophole in 2021 and last October took an initial step by restricting devices containing modular transmitters from Covered List companies. The latest proposal expands those restrictions to virtually all intelligent electronic components.

Why drone users should pay attention

Although the proposal applies to everything from networking equipment to consumer electronics, drones receive special attention in the accompanying rulemaking.

The FCC is seeking public comment on broader updates to its equipment authorization process, including changes that specifically address uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), UAS critical components, and consumer routers.

One proposal would split the Covered List into two categories: one based on manufacturers or service providers and another based on where products are manufactured. That’s increasingly relevant as supply chain security has become a growing focus for policymakers.

The FCC is also considering requiring companies seeking equipment authorization for drones and certain other products to provide expanded supply chain disclosures during the application process.

For drone manufacturers, that could mean greater scrutiny over where flight controllers, communications hardware, and other critical electronics originate. For buyers, the changes may not be immediately visible, but they could influence which products ultimately make it to the US market.

The FCC says the proposal is about more than national security. It’s also using the opportunity to modernize its equipment authorization system. Among the additional ideas under consideration are stronger oversight of the self-certification process known as the Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC), tighter import and marketing rules, and allowing certain approved equipment to continue receiving software and hardware updates after installation.

The agency says these updates are intended to reflect how modern electronics, and their global supply chains, have evolved.

“The FCC is always working to safeguard our country’s national security interest,” Carr said in announcing the proposal. He described the agency’s Covered List as an important tool for protecting Americans from insecure devices that could threaten both national security and public safety.

What happens next?

The proposal isn’t final yet. The Order will be considered by the full FCC during its July 22 Open Commission Meeting. If approved, it would formally expand restrictions on Covered List components and establish new responsibilities for online marketplaces.

The accompanying Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) would then open the door for public comments before additional changes to the FCC’s equipment authorization rules are finalized.

For the drone industry, the proposals don’t introduce immediate new restrictions. But they do offer a clear signal of where US regulators are headed: toward tighter oversight of drone supply chains, greater transparency for online shoppers, and increased scrutiny of the components powering the next generation of connected aircraft.

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