Why Are Powders and Drones Frequently Rejected When Shipped from China to Abroad?

In the landscape of cross-border logistics, powdered items (such as cosmetic compacts, food additives, and industrial raw materials) and drones (including aerial photography drones and consumer-grade drones) are two categories of “sensitive commodities” that are frequently rejected. Data shows that the rejection rate of powdered items in cross-border parcels from China is as high as 35%-40%, while the rejection rate of drones and related accessories exceeds 50%—far higher than the average rejection rate of less than 5% for ordinary commodities. Many individual users and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) encounter repeated setbacks when shipping: carefully packaged powdered cosmetics are directly rejected by couriers, legally purchased drones are detained by customs, and there is even a risk of fines and cargo destruction.

Why are these two types of commodities frequently rejected when shipped from China to abroad? The core contradiction lies in the conflict between “product characteristics and the safety requirements, compliance standards, and international rules of cross-border logistics.” Powdered items have become a key focus of safety supervision due to their “unidentifiable nature and potential for concealing risks,” while drones are trapped in multiple compliance dilemmas due to their “technical attributes, export controls, and destination country regulatory restrictions.” This article will deeply analyze this cross-border logistics pain point from three core modules—the root causes of rejection, restriction details in different scenarios, and practical compliance shipping solutions—to help individuals and enterprises accurately avoid risks and achieve smooth shipping.

I. Powdered Items: Why Do “Invisible Risks” Become a “Roadblock” to Cross-Border Shipping?

The dilemma of cross-border shipping for powdered items essentially stems from the conflict between “information asymmetry” and “safety risk prevention and control.” From ordinary commodities such as flour and milk powder to prohibited items such as drugs and explosives, powdered substances have highly similar physical forms that are difficult to quickly identify through appearance. This forces logistics providers and customs to adopt a “strict supervision” strategy, resulting in the “one-size-fits-all” rejection of many compliant powders.

(I) Core Reasons for Rejection: Dual Restrictions of Safety Risks and Compliance Thresholds

1. Safety Risks: Regulatory Alert Triggered by “Unknown Identity”

• Risk of Concealing Prohibited Items: Powder is a common form for concealing prohibited items. Drugs (heroin, cocaine), explosives (gunpowder, explosive powders), and hazardous chemicals (flammable powders, corrosive powders) can all evade inspection by being disguised as ordinary powders. Since traditional manual inspection cannot quickly distinguish between them, logistics providers and customs reject all powdered items without clear identification to reduce risks.
• Transportation Safety Hazards: Some powders are flammable, explosive, dust-generating, or corrosive, falling into the category of “Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Substances” in the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG). For example, aluminum powder and magnesium powder are flammable and may explode when exposed to open flames; certain chemical powders are highly corrosive and can contaminate other cargo and damage transportation equipment if packaging is damaged. Even ordinary powders may generate static electricity due to pressure changes and friction during air transport, leading to safety accidents.
• Biosafety Risks: Powdered items may carry harmful organisms such as bacteria and viruses, serving as carriers for cross-border transmission. For instance, unquarantined animal and plant powders (such as pollen and animal protein powder) may carry pests and diseases, violating the biosafety regulations of importing countries and thus being strictly restricted from entry.

2. Compliance Thresholds: Complex and Costly Processes to Prove “Legal Identity”

• Requirements for Identification Reports: Cross-border shipping of powdered items requires a “Powdered Item Identification Report” issued by a qualified third-party institution, specifying the powder’s composition, purpose, and whether it is a dangerous good. However, most individual users and SMEs lack access to such reports, and the identification cost (2,000-5,000 yuan per time) is relatively high, making it difficult to meet compliance requirements.
• Dangerous Goods Classification and Packaging Requirements: If a powder is classified as a dangerous good (e.g., flammable or corrosive powder), it must be packaged according to the corresponding dangerous goods classification (such as leak-proof and anti-static packaging meeting IATA DGR standards) and transported via specialized dangerous goods channels. Ordinary logistics providers do not have dangerous goods transportation qualifications and can only reject such shipments; professional dangerous goods transportation costs 3-5 times that of ordinary transportation, deterring many shippers.
• Import Country Regulatory Restrictions: Different countries have varying requirements for importing powdered items, and some even directly prohibit certain powders. For example, the EU bans the import of cosmetic powders containing harmful chemicals, requiring REACH compliance certificates; Australia prohibits the import of unquarantined food powders (such as milk powder) without prior import permits; the US requires FDA registration certificates for imported chemical powders, otherwise, they will be detained.

3. Logistics Providers’ Risk Aversion Strategies

The core of cross-border logistics is “safety first and risk control.” The high-risk nature of powdered items leads logistics providers to adopt a “better to reject mistakenly than accept improperly” approach. On one hand, logistics providers are liable for cargo detention and fines; if a safety accident occurs due to shipping prohibited powders, they may even face revocation of qualifications. On the other hand, the damage and leakage rate of powdered items is relatively high (about 5%-8%), and logistics providers must bear compensation responsibilities if problems arise. Therefore, mainstream logistics providers such as SF Express, DHL, and FedEx all include “powdered items without complete identification reports” in their rejection lists, only accepting commercial shipments with full compliance documents.

(II) Restriction Details for Cross-Border Shipping of Different Types of Powders

Not all powdered items are unshippable— the key lies in “clear classification and meeting corresponding compliance requirements.” Restrictions on cross-border shipping vary significantly among different types of powders:

Typical Case: An individual user’s cosmetic loose powder shipped from China to the US was rejected by DHL for failing to provide an ingredient list and MSDS; an SME’s plastic powder shipped to the EU was detained by customs for lacking a REACH compliance certificate. Ultimately, the cargo was destroyed, and the enterprise incurred 2,000 euros in storage fees and fines.

II. Drones: Why Do “High-Tech Products” Fall into a “Compliance Maze” in Cross-Border Shipping?

As products with both “consumer attributes” and “technical attributes,” drones face far more complex cross-border shipping dilemmas than powdered items. The root causes of rejection not only include logistics restrictions but also multiple compliance barriers such as “export controls, destination country regulations, and technical standards”— the lack of any link may lead to shipping failure.

(I) Core Reasons for Rejection: Dual Shackles of Export Controls and Destination Country Regulations

1. China’s Export Controls: Drones Are Not “Ordinary Commodities”

• Dual-Use (Civil-Military) Technical Attributes: Drones are classified as “dual-use items” under China’s Export Control Law. The export of certain high-performance drones (e.g., maximum takeoff weight >25kg, flight speed >100km/h, with autonomous driving functions) requires an “Export License.” Unauthorized export is illegal and may result in cargo confiscation, fines, or even criminal liability.
• Technical Parameter Restrictions: Even consumer-grade drones (e.g., DJI Mini series) must go through formal export procedures if their technical parameters meet control standards (e.g., equipped with high-definition cameras or remote control functions). Many individual users and SMEs mistakenly believe that consumer-grade drones can be exported freely without relevant permits, leading to cargo detention at airports or customs.
• Export Declaration Requirements: Drone exports require truthful declaration of “commodity name, technical parameters, purpose, and final destination” during customs clearance—concealment or misrepresentation is prohibited. Inconsistencies between declared information and actual goods will be deemed “false declaration,” resulting in cargo detention and fines.

2. Destination Country Regulatory Restrictions: Significant Differences in “Access Thresholds”

• Import License Requirements: Most countries implement an import licensing system for drones, requiring prior applications for import permits from local regulatory authorities. For example, the US requires FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) certification for drone imports; the EU requires CE certification; Australia requires CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) registration; some Middle Eastern countries (e.g., the UAE, Saudi Arabia) prohibit unauthorized drone imports, with violators facing cargo confiscation and fines.
• Technical Standard Barriers: Different countries have varying technical requirements for drones, such as frequency ranges, flight altitude limits, and safety performance. For instance, the EU requires drone radio frequencies to comply with ETSI standards— otherwise, they cannot be legally used locally and will be rejected at import; the US has strict privacy protection requirements for drones, and those equipped with facial recognition functions may be detained for violating data protection regulations.
• Usage Restrictions: Some countries regard drones as “sensitive equipment” and restrict their use for military, surveying, and aerial photography purposes. For example, India prohibits the import of drones for surveying—declaring “surveying” as the purpose will result in direct rejection; Brazil requires drone imports to be labeled “non-military use” with supporting documents.

3. Logistics Providers’ Transportation Restrictions

• Air Transport Restrictions: Drones contain lithium batteries (classified as “Class 9 Dangerous Goods”), which pose short-circuit and explosion risks during air transport and are thus strictly restricted. According to IATA DGR regulations, drones with lithium batteries must meet requirements such as “battery capacity ≤100Wh,” “separate packaging,” and “advance declaration”— otherwise, air transport is prohibited. If a drone’s battery capacity exceeds 100Wh (e.g., 150Wh for some professional-grade drones), a dangerous goods transport permit is required, which ordinary logistics providers cannot obtain.
• Packaging and Labeling Requirements: Drone bodies, batteries, remote controls, and other components must be packaged separately. Batteries require insulation treatment (e.g., wrapping electrodes with tape) to prevent short circuits; “Lithium Battery” and “Fragile” labels must be affixed to the packaging. Non-compliant packaging will result in rejection by logistics providers or detention during security checks.

(II) Restriction Details for Cross-Border Shipping of Different Types of Drones

Drone cross-border shipping restrictions are strongly related to “product type, technical parameters, and destination country,” with significant variations across scenarios:

Typical Case: An individual user’s DJI Air 3 drone shipped from China to Germany was rejected by DHL for failing to obtain a China Export License and EU CE certification; an enterprise’s professional-grade drone shipped to the US was detained at the Port of Los Angeles for lacking FAA certification and a dual-use items export license. Ultimately, the cargo was confiscated, and the enterprise was fined 100,000 yuan.

III. Practical Compliance Shipping Solutions: From “Rejected” to “Smooth Shipping”

For both powdered items and drones, the core principles of cross-border shipping are “compliance first, advance preparation, and accurate matching.” By clarifying product attributes, meeting compliance requirements, and selecting appropriate channels, the rejection rate can be effectively reduced, and smooth shipping can be achieved.

(I) Powdered Items: Five-Step Practical Shipping Process

1. Step 1: Clarify Powder Attributes and Determine Shippability

• First, confirm the powder’s composition, purpose, and whether it is a dangerous good: Prohibited items (e.g., drugs, explosive powders) are strictly unshippable; hazardous chemicals (e.g., flammable, corrosive powders) require compliance with dangerous goods transportation procedures; ordinary powders (e.g., food, cosmetic powders) require preparation of compliance documents.
• Verify the importing country’s relevant regulations: Check import restrictions for powdered items through the official website of the importing country’s embassy in China or the General Administration of Customs, such as whether import permits, quarantine certificates, or ingredient filings are required.

2. Step 2: Obtain Authoritative Identification Reports to Prove “Legal Identity”

• Entrust a qualified third-party institution (e.g., SGS, Intertek, CCIC) to issue a “Powdered Item Identification Report,” which must include core information such as: Powder composition analysis, hazard identification results, compliance with target country standards, and transportation method recommendations.
• Additional documents for specific powders: Health quarantine certificate and Certificate of Origin for food powders; cosmetic filing certificate, ingredient list, and MSDS for cosmetic powders; dangerous goods classification identification report and UN number for chemical powders.

3. Step 3: Select Compliance Packaging to Meet Transportation Safety Requirements

• Ordinary Powders: Adopt a “double-layer sealing + buffering + moisture-proof” packaging method: Inner layer sealed with self-sealing bags (to prevent leakage), middle layer wrapped with bubble wrap or EPE foam (to prevent collision), outer layer packed in five-layer corrugated cartons (pressure-resistant), with desiccant filled in the carton (moisture-proof).
• Hazardous Chemical Powders: Select packaging according to the corresponding dangerous goods classification (e.g., UN-certified leak-proof packaging), affix “dangerous goods labels” (e.g., flammable powder, corrosive powder labels), and entrust logistics providers with dangerous goods transportation qualifications.
• Labeling Requirements: Affix “Powdered Item,” “Fragile,” and “Moisture-Proof” labels prominently on the outer packaging; mark “Non-Dangerous Goods” if identified as such.

4. Step 4: Select Appropriate Transportation Channels and Declare Truthfully

• Ordinary Powders (Non-Dangerous Goods): Choose mainstream logistics providers with cross-border logistics qualifications (e.g., SF International, DHL, FedEx). Truthfully fill in “commodity name (e.g., milk powder, cosmetic loose powder),” “composition,” and “purpose” on the waybill, and attach identification reports and compliance documents.
• Hazardous Chemical Powders: Entrust professional dangerous goods transportation companies (e.g., Sinotrans, COSCO Shipping Logistics), obtain dangerous goods transportation permits, use specialized transportation vehicles/containers, and declare in advance to customs and transportation companies.
• Avoid small logistics providers or “gray channels”: Such channels may illegally accept shipments but cannot guarantee cargo safety. Once seized by customs, the cargo will be confiscated, and the shipper may face fines.

5. Step 5: Track Logistics and Handle Emergencies

• Track cargo status in real time through the logistics provider’s official website or APP, monitor customs clearance progress, and contact customer service promptly to provide supplementary documents if abnormalities (e.g., detention, return) occur.
• In case of cargo detention by customs: Provide additional required documents (e.g., composition test reports, import permits) as requested; if customs clearance is impossible due to compliance issues, choose to return the cargo or destroy it as required by customs to avoid high storage fees.

(II) Drones: Six-Step Practical Shipping Process

1. Step 1: Confirm Drone Attributes and Export Control Requirements

• Verify technical parameters (maximum takeoff weight, battery capacity, flight speed, functions) to determine if the drone is a dual-use item: Drones with a maximum takeoff weight >25kg or equipped with autonomous driving/surveying functions require a “Dual-Use Items Export