On Wednesday, April 2, President Trump announced the implementation of new tariffs on imports to the US; however, due to the nature of US Trade and foreign relations, updates have been released by the White House announcing a 30- to 90-day pause for most countries, with the exception of China.
Because virtually all prebuilt UAS as well as individual UAS components come from overseas, largely from China and surrounding markets, it is expected that consumers will see mounting costs. Although the outcome of the paused trading partners is unclear at this time, it is likely that China and the other eastern manufacturing markets will continue to see similar, or higher, rates for the foreseeable future.
AMA supports American manufacturing, but without existing infrastructure, the prices of UAS and related goods are expected to increase, with few exceptions. For the time being, modelers should anticipate materials related to our hobby to increase in price. The situation is evolving. AMA will continue to monitor and update as news unfolds.
To remain current with the most recent government-related news, regularly visit the AMA Government Affairs blog. If you have any further questions or concerns, contact the Government Affairs department at (765) 287-1256 or amagov@modelaircraft.org.