New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- WASHINGTON - In February 2025, roughly 7,000 DJI Romo robot vacuums became a security problem nobody at DJI had planned for. A researcher discovered the devices were remotely accessible, not just their camera feeds but the detailed floor plans each unit builds as it navigates a home. For months, strangers could pull up the layout of someone's kitchen, bedroom, or hallway. The Federal Communications Commission noticed.

On July 28, the FCC updated its Covered List to include "advanced robotic devices," a category it defines as ground-traveling robots weighing at least 4.4 pounds with sensors and networking capable of locomotion and obstacle avoidance. Devices on the Covered List cannot obtain FCC equipment authorizatio...