The United States has tightened import restrictions on drones through a proclamation signed on August 13, 2026 (Section 232, Trade Expansion Act). Depending on weight, capabilities, and origin, tariffs of 10 to 100 percent will now apply, justified by the United States' dependence on foreign drone technology and its military significance. Drones over 25 kg or with thermal imaging capabilities are subject to a 100 percent tariff, while lighter models face 25 percent. Imports from Switzerland, the EU, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, and Taiwan are only charged 15 percent, and those from the UK 10 percent — provided that substantially all of the hardware, software, and technology originates from these countries or the United States. What "substantially all" means remains undefined, seemingly creating room for maneuver — for instance, the targeted use of components from non-listed third countries. However, this room for maneuver is asymmetric: there is no third, country-specific tariff rate for components from China, India, or Russia. If the test is not met, the preference is lost entirely with no fallback — so there is nothing to gain, only something to lose. On top of that comes the risk that U.S. Customs (CBP) may, under the "substantial transformation" doctrine, attribute the origin to the third country despite final assembly in Switzerland. The incentive structure aims to concentrate the value chain within US-aligned partner states — effectively a mechanism for the security-policy "Western alignment" of supply chains. For Swiss manufacturers, the apparent room for discretion is therefore more a compliance risk than an opportunity for structuring: consistent adherence to the component-origin regime and complete supply-chain documentation are advisable.
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