Owners of FCC-banned foreign-made drones and routers caught a break. On May 8, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology announced affected devices will keep receiving security updates through January 1, 2029, pushing the deadline back roughly two years from the prior cutoff.

The FCC started tightening the noose in December 2025, adding uncrewed aircraft systems and drone components to its Covered List of equipment with national security concerns. Routers made outside the US joined that list shortly after, with an initial update exception expiring March 1, 2027.

The OET justified the extension by arguing special circumstances warrant deviating from standard rules and the public interest is better served by extending the waiver. The Consumer Technology Association had lobbied for longer update windows and clearer guidance on which products fall under the ban.