US Section 232 tariff on unmanned aircraft systems and components
A US Section 232 proclamation of August 13, 2026 adjusts imports of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and components. Covered Annex I products face 100% and covered UAS at or under 25 kg in Annex II face 25%, with a primary effective date of September 3, 2026 and covered Annex III components from February 9, 2027. Coverage is product- and annex-specific — confirm your line rather than assuming a rate.
Not sure whether this affects your product?
Pilot checks your exact product against this measure, then takes you straight to duty, landed cost and margin — using official sources, never an invented rate.
What changed
- A Section 232 proclamation dated August 13, 2026 adjusts imports of unmanned aircraft systems and UAS components, replacing the earlier reliance on Section 301 as the headline measure for covered products.
- Covered products in Annex I face a 100% tariff; covered UAS at or under 25 kg listed in Annex II face a 25% tariff; covered components in Annex III are brought in on a later date.
- The primary effective date is September 3, 2026, with covered Annex III components effective February 9, 2027. Country caps and special arrangements can modify treatment for particular origins.
When it applies
Covered Annex I and Annex II products apply from the primary effective date of September 3, 2026; covered Annex III components apply from February 9, 2027. Country caps and special arrangements, where they exist, are set in the proclamation. Read the annexes for the treatment of your specific line.
- Announced
- Aug 13, 2026
- Effective
- Sep 3, 2026
Which imports may be affected
- Complete drones/UAS and components only where they are specifically listed in the relevant annex of the proclamation.
- Annex I (100%), Annex II covered UAS at or under 25 kg (25%) and Annex III components (later date) are distinct — a product falls in at most one.
- Country of origin can trigger a cap or special arrangement that modifies the treatment.
Exclusions and limits
- Not every drone or component is covered — coverage is defined product-by-product across the annexes.
- Components are classified on their own line and may sit in a different annex (or none) from a finished drone.
- Country caps, special arrangements and any exclusions can change the rate or date for specific origins.
The proclamation covers specifically listed products across three annexes with different rates and dates — it does not put one rate on every drone or component. Annex I covered products face 100%; covered UAS at or under 25 kg listed in Annex II face 25%; covered Annex III components have a later date. Country caps and special arrangements can modify treatment, and coverage is line-by-line.
Information you will need
- Whether the item is a complete drone/UAS or a specific component, and its weight class (the 25 kg threshold matters for Annex II).
- Country of origin, in case a cap or special arrangement applies.
- A description precise enough to identify the HTS line and which annex, if any, covers it.
Effect on cost and margin
- A covered Annex I product carries a 100% tariff and a covered Annex II UAS at or under 25 kg carries 25% — a large landed-cost impact where either applies.
- Covered Annex III components add cost from February 9, 2027; a bill of materials can therefore have mixed and time-phased exposure.
- An uncovered product carries only its ordinary duty — confirm annex coverage before pricing, and re-source or re-price only where a covered line applies.
Illustrative only — rate depends on annex coverage
| Product | A covered UAS at or under 25 kg (Annex II) |
|---|---|
| Base duty | The ordinary HTS rate for the line |
| Section 232 | 100% (Annex I), 25% (Annex II ≤25 kg) or a later date (Annex III components), only if covered |
| Effect | Duty and landed cost depend on which annex, rate and date apply to your line |
Confirm annex coverage, the applicable rate and effective date, and any country cap in the August 13, 2026 proclamation for your HTS line.
What you must verify
Confirm whether your exact product is covered and in which annex, the applicable rate and effective date, your country of origin and any cap or special arrangement, and whether any exclusion applies — do not assume every drone or component is hit.
- The August 13, 2026 Section 232 UAS proclamation and its Annex I, II and III lists.
- Your exact HTS line and base rate on the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
- Any country cap, special arrangement or exclusion in the proclamation and Federal Register.
Official sources
We do not publish tariff rates, dates or product lists ourselves. Confirm everything on the official sources below before you price or file.
Check this against your own product
Describe your product to Pilot. It works out the likely classification, tells you whether this measure may be relevant, and moves straight into your duty, landed cost and margin — so you get a decision, not just news.