Temporary import of goods is a thing in many jurisdictions. Have the sender fill out the paperwork correctly, and return the drive when you're done. Then you mi

Temporary import of goods is a thing in many jurisdictions. Have the sender fill out the paperwork correctly, and return the drive when you're done. Then you might be exempt from VAT, customs duty, and those infuriating processing fees the couriers charge you. It's not /quite/ the same, but thankfully even after Brexit I can export broken electronics from the UK to the EU for warranty repair—without being charged a fee when the repaired item is returned to me. (The manufacturer in the EU isn't charged a fee either, when they receive the broken item.) As for returns shipping, maybe you can shop around, but yeah, it can be expensive.