US robotics tariffs push Unitree and AgiBot to new markets
As Washington tightens restrictions and tariffs on foreign drones and advanced robotics, Chinese manufacturers are leveraging their massive scale to expand into other global markets.
Washington's recent tightening of restrictions on foreign-made robotic systems and the imposition of steep tariffs on imported drones—set to begin this September with additional component tariffs in 2027—mark a major escalation in trade barriers. The Federal Communications Commission expanded its Covered List, which originally targeted telecom and surveillance giants like Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision, to include foreign drones and advanced robotic devices. While these policies aim to shield domestic markets, they are accelerating a fragmentation of the global robotics industry rather than halting Chinese expansion.
China currently dominates the humanoid robotics sector. According to Counterpoint Research, global shipments of humanoid robots reached 22,000 units in the first half of 2026. The top five manufacturers—AgiBot, Unitree, Galbot, UBTECH, and Leju Robotics—are all Chinese firms that collectively commanded 86 percent of those shipments. This massive manufacturing scale allows Chinese firms to lower prices rapidly and gather vast amounts of real-world operational data. In response to the U.S. barriers, these companies are targeting price-sensitive regions facing labor shortages across Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
For robotics practitioners and developers, this geopolitical divide splits the market into two distinct ecosystems. Western firms like Agility Robotics, which designs and assembles its Digit humanoid in the U.S., are focusing on high-security, NDAA-compliant systems for defense and critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, developers of low-cost consumer hardware must navigate a bifurcated supply chain. Industry experts suggest the next competitive frontier will shift to battery and payload architectures. Additionally, practitioners may see the rise of alternative regional hubs, as companies like South Korea's Hyundai, which owns Boston Dynamics, and Japan's Toyota leverage their automotive expertise to carve out a middle ground between cheap Chinese hardware and expensive American systems.
This is our own summary of reporting by TechCrunch AI
