Key takeaways
- The United States (US) has announced new 25% and 100% tariffs on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), docking stations and components.
- The tariffs take effect from 3 September 2026, with additional component tariffs from 9 February 2027.
What has changed?
Following the recommendations of a National Security investigation (Section 232) on the imports of UAS and specified components, the US Government announced new tariffs on 13 August 2026 to take effect from 3 September 2026.
The US Government says that these measures are intended to strengthen domestic UAS and component production and reduce reliance on overseas suppliers, citing supply chain and cybersecurity risks.
| Product | Effective date | Tariff rate |
UAS, docking stations and specified components (Annex 1):
| September 3, 2026 12:01am US eastern time (2:01pm AEST) | 100% |
UAS without thermal imaging (Annex 2)
| September 3, 2026 12:01am US eastern time (2:01pm AEST) | 25% |
Specified UAS Components (Annex 3)
| February 9, 2027** 12:01am US eastern time (2:01pm AEST) | 25% |
*Annex I includes scope limitations for certain aircraft parts, including parts for UAS used for retail delivery, agricultural purposes, or sale to the US Department of War.
**The later commencement date for Annex III components provides a 180-day transition period intended to support increased US production and encourage manufacturers to move production to the US.
What this means for Queensland exporters
Queensland businesses exporting UAS or components to the US may need to review the relevant HTSUS classification, maximum take-off weight, technical capabilities and intended end use to determine whether these new tariffs apply.
Separately, Australia is subject to a 12.5% tariff on most US imports. This tariff falls under a different US trade measure and does not impact or add to the new drone tariffs (Section 232).
Please see the Austrade Go Global Toolkit for additional information on the support for Australian businesses impacted by the US tariff changes.
Previous TIQ insights on tariff impositions and changes are available here.
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