The effect of tariffs on the FPV drone industry – sUAS News

To our FPV family,

We know you’ve probably noticed some pricing changes lately, and we wanted to take a moment to share why and how we’re handling it.

A recent shift in US import policies has created some new challenges for a lot of us in the FPV space. A steep new 145% (as of writing this) tariff on parts coming in from China has hit hard, driving up our costs with little time to react. Each import of goods received now costs us over double the cost it used to.

Since this all started months ago, we’ve done everything we can behind the scenes to keep prices steady— absorbing most of the extra tariff % fees per shipment. But at this point, it’s just not something we can keep absorbing without putting the business at risk.

So, here’s what that means: some prices on products (ones affected by these tariffs) will be going up temporarily. Trust us, this isn’t something we take lightly. We hate raising prices. But it’s the only way we can keep doing what we do, which is shipping your FPV parts fast, keeping service strong, and staying in the game for the long haul.

We’re also raising our free shipping minimum from $99 to $199. This helps offset rising costs while still keeping things running efficiently behind the scenes.

You may see some items go out of stock here and there as we adjust how and what we’re ordering. We’re working hard to keep the shelves stocked and the shipments flowing as normal.

In addition, we are working hard to develop exciting new products that are manufactured or sourced from the USA as well as other countries, helping to lower any impact related to tariffs and imports. These products will have a more stable supply chain and pricing. In many cases, they may even be cheaper. Check out our listings of “NDAA” products for what is available already in the store today.

We want to be crystal clear: none of this is about making extra profit. At best, we’ll remain at the same margin; however, in most cases, we’ll be absorbing some of the additional cost as well.  It’s about surviving a rough patch and ensuring our passionate team can keep doing what we love, supporting this community.

Our crew is made up of FPV fans, just like you, who care deeply about this space and everyone in it. Every decision we make right now is to make sure we’re still here tomorrow, and into the future.

Thank you for sticking with us. Your support, loyalty, and understanding mean everything. We’ll keep showing up and doing our best to earn it.

— The RDQ Team

Related