According to the Financial Times, Taiwanese and U.S. drone companies are reportedly looking to work together to create a drone supply chain that is not dependent on China. A delegation of 26 drone company executives and U.S. government officials organized by the American Institute of Taiwan (AIT) arrived in Taipei on Saturday to conduct meetings with Taiwanese drone industry professionals, military officials, and other research and engineering experts.
In addition, the Economic Affairs Ministry has announced the establishment of an alliance for Taiwanese unmanned aerial vehicles to drive overseas business opportunities. Chairman of the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) Hu Kai-Hung (胡開宏) was sworn in as chairman of the alliance in Taichung on Monday.
Representatives from AIDC said that the primary purpose of the alliance is to integrate technology from Taiwan’s domestic drone manufacturers and push for orders in the global market. AIDC said they are optimistic about their ability to support the alliance’s production and assembly. They explained that the industry goal set by the government is a production capacity of 15,000 drones by 2028, which would drive the overall industrial output value to NT$30 billion (US$9.4 million).
Industry analysts have said that the domestic drone market has flourished since last year, highlighting the advantages of Taiwan’s small and medium-sized enterprise model, which includes flexible corporate strategies that foster creativity. With AIDC assisting in mass production, as well as component manufacturing and supply chain management, the outlook for Taiwan’s entry into overseas UAV markets is positive.