2026/8/12

Taiwan expands drone cooperation with Czechia through workshop, MOU

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a workshop on drone systems Aug. 3-7 at the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi County. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the inaugural workshop, part of its drone diplomacy program, involved 22 experts from local research and tertiary education institutes, and focused on technical discussions and experience sharing. The event was organized in cooperation with Czechia’s Farpoint Academy and involved such distinguished participants as Chiang Zhen-wei, chief executive director of the MOFA’s drone diplomacy task force, and Markéta Pekarová Adamová, former president of the Czech Chamber of Deputies and a current global advisory board member of the European Values Center for Security Policy. The ministry said Chiang and Adamová also signed a memorandum of understanding as part of the Aug. 9 opening ceremony of a drone innovation exhibit held in Chiayi. The agreement will expand talent training, enhance supply chain cooperation and facilitate jointly organized global events. Chiang said the MOFA’s drone diplomacy builds on the success of its chip diplomacy and underscores Taiwan’s pivotal role in the non-red global supply chain, given its manufacturing prowess in drones, semiconductors and related components. Adamová said that her previous visits to the center have prompted many discussions with Chiang on drone cooperation, and she expressed hope that the agreement will quickly bear fruit. In alignment with President Lai Ching-te’s Five Trusted Industry Sectors initiative, drone diplomacy was proposed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung in October 2025. The Global UAV Academy was created through the program and has concluded cooperative pacts with the U.S. and Japan to date, the ministry said, adding that it will continue to promote drone cooperation with like-minded partners in Europe.

2026/7/16

MOEA Supports Taiwan's Drone Industry Expansion into Japan: Taiwanese Drone Company Partners with Three Japanese Firms to Advance Outlying-Island Emergency Medical Transport and Logistics Applications

Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-Hsin Kung and Taiwan's Representative to Japan I-Yang Lee witnessed the signing of three Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) under the framework of "Taiwan-Japan Industrial Technology Collaboration on Advanced Air Mobility and Drone Systems in Tokyo on July 15. The three agreements include a partnership among Taiwanese drone company 7A Drones, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), and SkyDrive, a leading Japanese advanced air mobility company, to promote the use of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for emergency medical transport between Taiwan's outlying islands; cooperation between 7A Drones and Japanese logistics drone company AlterSky to introduce the commercial deployment of large cargo drones; and cooperation between 7A Drones and AeroJapan to develop training drone products for wildlife damage prevention. Minister Kung stated that Taiwan's drone industry has grown rapidly in recent years, with its output value rising significantly from approximately NT$5 billion in 2024 to NT$12.9 billion in 2025. Export value also surged from NT$140 million to NT$2.9 billion, demonstrating the industry's strong potential in overseas markets. Minister Kung highlighted three key aspects of the partnerships. First, they will deepen technological cooperation in the drone sector. Taiwan's independently developed flight control systems, motors, electronic speed controllers, and complete aircraft system integration capabilities will undergo further validation in real-world application environments in Japan. Second, the partnerships will expand application markets. Through introduction and validation across Japan's diverse application environments, Taiwan can provide reliable technologies, products, and solutions while further demonstrating the international application value of its innovative technologies. Finally, the partnerships will advance commercial deployment. The procurement partnership signed between 7A Drones and AlterSky marks an important step toward bringing Taiwan's large cargo drones to the Japanese market. It also demonstrates that Taiwan-Japan cooperation is progressing from technological validation to tangible commercial applications. Through these partnerships, Taiwan's reliable technologies, products, and solutions will gain greater international visibility. The MOEA will continue to help Taiwanese companies strengthen their international competitiveness and expand into global markets, Minister Kung added. Director General Chao-Chung Kuo of the MOEA's Department of Industrial Technology stated that, among the three agreements signed, the partnership among 7A Drones, ITRI, and SkyDrive in advanced air mobility (AAM) and outlying-island medical transport has officially progressed from the conceptual stage to the demonstration preparation stage. The three parties will focus on emergency medical transport needs in Taiwan's Penghu Islands, seeking to address medical access challenges caused by the suspension of ferry services during winter. A specific route between Magong and Hujing has already been planned. The service is expected to be officially launched after 2028. In the future, 7A Drones will lead local demonstrations, aircraft operations, maintenance, and repairs, while coordinating with administrative and medical institutions. The Department of Industrial Technology further explained that, in the field of large cargo drones, 7A Drones has signed a cooperation agreement with AlterSky, which is headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. AlterSky has completed more than 1,000 drone operations across a wide range of applications, including electrical infrastructure, civil engineering, and disaster response. To address Japan's logistics labor shortages and aging population, the two companies will jointly promote field demonstrations of large cargo drones, provide support for regulatory certification under Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act, and advance commercial applications. By combining 7A Drones' aircraft system technologies with AlterSky's operational experience, the partnership will facilitate the successful introduction of Taiwan-made large cargo drones into the Japanese market. For training drone products, 7A Drones will also leverage AeroJapan's education, training, and maintenance support network to develop applications in wildlife damage prevention and talent cultivation. The MOEA emphasized that these Taiwan-Japan partnerships demonstrate that Taiwan's drone industry now possesses integrated export capabilities spanning key components, complete aircraft systems, and application services. This cooperation lays an important foundation for Taiwan's positioning within trusted global supply chains. Contacts Contact Person: Industrial Technology Research Institute Ms. Luca WU Phone: +886-3-591-3263 E-MAIL: yaju@itri.org.tw  

2026/4/13

President Lai inaugurates robotics research facility in Tainan

President Lai Ching-te said that the establishment of the National Center for AI Robotics is critical to Taiwan’s development as a smart technological island at the NCAIR’s opening ceremony April 10 in Tainan City. Lai added that the government’s Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects were designed to respond to the advent of the artificial intelligence era and to ensure Taiwan’s next generation competitiveness. He emphasized that three key technologies are in focus: quantum computing, robotics and silicon photonics. The president said the goals of the infrastructure projects include the creation and expansion of an AI startup ecosystem, the digital transition of small-, micro- and medium-sized businesses, and the incorporation of AI into daily life. He spoke of the center as a hub for research that leads to practical applications as well as academic progress, and emphasized the importance of increasing Taiwan’s capability to integrate robotic technology in fields as varied as catering, manufacturing, and long-term care. Lai said he expected the center to draw interdisciplinary talent, since AI robotics requires experts in ethics and law, computer science and electrical engineering, materials science and design, and many more. The president anticipated close collaboration between the center and institutes of higher learning to nurture the necessary skills in current and future students. As AI and AI-powered robots are integrated into more people’s lives, information security and privacy protection become even more vital, Lai said. He pledged that the government would continue to reinforce data governance and information resilience so that Taiwan-made robots will be received in global markets as a reliable and trustworthy technology.

2025/12/17

MOTC holds international forum on UAS

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications hosted the 2025 International Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Advanced Air Mobility Forum Dec. 16 in Taipei City, highlighting government commitment to the sector. The forum drew around 150 domestic academic, governmental and industrial participants. European and U.S. civil aviation agencies’ representatives and other experts shared UAS and AAM regulations, testing systems and international standards. Ho Shu-ping, MOTC Civil Aviation Administration director general, noted that the government has continued to adjust regulation and monitoring mechanisms to facilitate cross-domain cooperation and provide drones with airspace for tests that contribute to industry development. Lin Kuo-shian, MOTC administrative deputy minister, lauded CAA accomplishments in promoting UAS. He further stated that airport safety and monitoring mechanisms were vital to continued development of the sector. The forum focused on an overview of international UAS and AAM development and an introduction to international safety specifications. On the former, Caspar Wang, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration senior representative, gave a briefing on certification and policy while Marcel Visser, German Technical Inspection Association expert, introduced European UAS testing development and regulatory compliance, the ministry added. The MOTC said that the CAA is committed to forging an innovative and resilient drone industry supply chain through a robust testing system and international exchange.  

2025/8/27

Drone Industry Development Trends and Taiwan's Competitive Advantages and Current Situation

Source: Chiayi County Government In recent years, drones have rapidly expanded from conventional military to civilian and commercial use, encompassing smart agriculture, energy inspections, disaster response, logistics, and urban surveillance. As such, it has empowered automation and digital transition. Advancements in AI computing, flight control systems, sensor modules, and communications technology has driven the drone industry towards smartification, multi-mission capabilities, and domain specification. Grand View Research estimates that in 2024, the worldwide drone market was valued at approximately $73.06 billion and is expected to grow to $163.3 billion in 2030. With a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% and as major tech and aerospace companies worldwide are increasing investments in drone technology and applications drones are fasting becoming critical elements in worldwide industrial innovation. The Global Drone Industry The global drone industry has transitioned from technology verification to application propagation, aiming at achieving high efficiency, autonomous systems, and modular integration. Many countries have relaxed regulations and established airspace management frameworks to accelerate the development of the low-altitude economy. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is promoting the Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM) system and supporting numerous field trials. Skydio, a US company specializing in autonomous navigation and AI sensor technology, has become an major technology partner for the US Department of Defense. Logistics giants such as Amazon, UPS, and DHL have also carried out drone delivery trials, which exhibit significant potential, particularly for deliveries to remote or inaccessible areas. In Europe, a French company, Parrot, excels in precision agriculture and image-based surveillance technologies; while a German company, Quantum-Systems, specializes in developing VTOL drones for military and civilian applications in mapping and border surveillance. The EU has also launched the "U-space" framework, which emphasizes low-altitude airspace sharing, mission coordination, and safety control measures – demonstrating that the low-altitude economy has become a regional strategic priority. Israeli company, Elbit Systems, and Aeronautics, are actively developing modular military drones with many demands from the international market. Japanese companies such as Sony's Aerosense and ANA Group are leveraging their technological prowess in aerospace manufacturing and component technology to develop industrial and logistics drones for urban low-altitude transportation. International Collaborations for Taiwan’s Supply Chain Taiwan has strong drone capabilities in core components for sensors, electronics control, and AI technologies and possesses the fundamentals to excel in the international drone supply chain. From 2023 onwards, the US government has actively pursued an initiative to established a drone supply chain network with technologies from countries other than China, dispatching multiple drone industry, technology, and business delegations to Taiwan for tech collaborations with US companies such as Skydio, Honeywell, and Teledyne. Potential collaboration encompasses imaging modules, flight control systems, and wireless transmission. And through industry networks such as the Taiwan Excellent Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (TEDIBOA), Taiwan has established cooperative frameworks for agricultural surveillance and land monitoring with Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Taiwan has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Japan UAS Industry Development Association (JUIDA) to promote bilateral industry integration and technological exchanges. Furthermore, the French company, Dassault Systèmes, has also established a presence in Taiwan, promoting its 3D design and digital twin platform technologies to support R&D and verification ventures. Such international collaborations not only demonstrate Taiwan's strengths in mid-to-high-end manufacturing, AI integration, and system module development, but also further expand its export channels and application domains – strengthening Taiwan's potential as a global hub. Taiwan’s Industry Development and Policy Implementation The key players in Taiwan's drone industry include benchmark companies such as Thunder Tiger Corp., Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corp., Galaxy Software Services Corp., and Taiwan UAV, offering services in R&D, manufacturing, system integration, and application development. Many startups, such as Earthgen Tech, which specialize in drone development and services for agriculture and fishery conservation, are also actively involved in innovative applications and opportunities for market expansion. The semiconductor giant, TSMC, has deployed a drone system in Arizona, enabling aerial inspections, traffic monitoring, and disaster response. TSMC has also integrated AI visual recognition, thermal imaging, and edge computing technologies, facilitating participation from companies such as Marketech International Group, Fanxuan, Asia Opticals, Solomon Technology Corp, VisEra Technology, PARPRO, and Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. – a move that has garnered international attention for Taiwan. In recent years, the Taiwan government has supported the deregulation of low-altitude airspace and associated drone management through policy initiatives, making way for actual flight testing with adequate regulatory support. Furthermore, to bolster infrastructure, the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center was established in Chiayi, and a dedicated testing airspace at the Hengchun Airport in Pingtung is under planning. The testing airspace in Pingtung will also serve as an industrial cluster and application demonstration site. In addition, leading universities such as National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and National Formosa University are fostering industry talents by offering courses on AI integration of unmanned vehicles, which combine flight testing, avionics design, and data processing practices – paving the way to cultivate talents via collaboration between the drone industry and academia. Conclusion Drones have gradually cemented their presence in key domains such as smart manufacturing, urban management, and low-altitude logistics, as one of the vital driving forces for the future airspace economy. By leveraging strong component manufacturing, AI and communications integration, a flexible SME ecosystem, and diverse applications, Taiwan is rapidly accumulating technological prowess and international experience. With the growing global demand for trusted supply chains and diverse solutions, Taiwan is expected to gain a competitive edge in drone core modules, mission systems, and application integration – distinguishing itself as a hub for drone innovation, R&D, and application verification in the Asia-Pacific region.