FCC Public Notice DA 26-390: Conditional Approval of Certain Routers and UAS and Exemption from FCC Covered List

Scope and Impact on Certification

This regulation, issued by the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), addresses the status of certain communications equipment on the "Covered List." Under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, equipment determined to pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security is prohibited from receiving equipment authorization. This specific notice focuses on foreign-produced routers and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS), detailing which specific models have been granted conditional approvals by the Department of War (DoW) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), thereby exempting them from the Covered List restrictions.

Exemptions and Conditional Approvals

The regulation identifies specific hardware that is exempt from the Covered List due to "Conditional Approvals" granted by executive branch agencies. These exemptions are time-limited and subject to review.

Routers Exempted from the Covered List

• eero LLC: eero, eero Pro, eero Max, eero PoE, eero Outdoor, eero Signal, and Amazon Leo routers (Exemption valid through October 31, 2027).
• Netgear, Inc.: Nighthawk consumer mesh, mobile, and standalone routers (R, RAX, RAXE, RS, MK, MR, M, and MH series); Orbi consumer mesh, mobile, and standalone routers (RBK, RBE, RBR, RBRE, LBR, LBK, and CBK series); cable gateways (CAX series); and cable modems (CM series). (Exemption valid through October 1, 2027).
• Adtran Inc.: Service Delivery Gateway (SDG) class routers (Exemption valid through October 1, 2027).

Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Exemptions

• UAS and critical components included on the Defense Contract Management Agency’s (DCMA’s) "Blue UAS Cleared List" (Exemption valid through January 1, 2027).
• UAS and components qualifying as “domestic end products” under the Buy American Standard (48 CFR 25.101(a)) (Exemption valid through January 1, 2027).
• Specific systems from manufacturers including SiFly Aviation (Q12), Mobilicom (SkyHopper Series), ScoutDI (Scout 137), Verge, Inc. (X1), and Sees.ai (v.USA 1.0).

Restrictions and National Security Determinations

Routers produced in a foreign country remain on the Covered List and are generally prohibited unless they have specifically been granted a Conditional Approval by the DoW or DHS. The PSHSB maintains the authority to monitor the status of these determinations and update the Covered List accordingly. Manufacturers should note that the inclusion of an entity on the Covered List also encompasses all subsidiaries and affiliates of that entity.

Conformity Assessment and Testing

The FCC provides ongoing guidance to Telecommunications Certification Bodies (TCBs), test laboratories, and equipment authorization applicants regarding the impact of Covered List updates. Applicants must ensure that their devices do not utilize components or software from prohibited entities unless a specific exemption applies. Certification procedures must align with the definitions and security determinations established in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 and relevant National Security Determinations.

Regulatory Modifications

This public notice modifies the status of equipment governed by the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. §§ 1601-1609) and the Commission’s implementing rules under 47 CFR §§ 1.50002 and 1.50003. It specifically updates the "List of Equipment and Services Covered By Section 2 of The Secure Networks Act" (the Covered List) to reflect new exemptions for specific router models that were previously restricted under the Routers Public Notice (DA 26-278) issued on March 23, 2026.