Taiwan plans large UAV testing facility in Chiayi County

Taipei [Taiwan], December 23 (ANI): Taiwan is set to construct a large uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) testing facility in Chiayi County, aimed at boosting its drone manufacturing capabilities and establishing a stronger presence in the global market, said Industrial Development Administration (IDA) Deputy Director-General Tsou Yu-hsin, Taipei Times reported.
The new facility is expected to play a crucial role in enhancing Taiwan's growing drone ecosystem.
The Taiwanese government, through the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), launched an uncrewed aircraft system development program in Chiayi at the end of 2023. The program's goal is to create a hub for the drone industry, facilitating the growth of drone-related businesses.
This initiative includes an office located in the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Centre, which assists companies in the drone sector. Currently, around 50 companies are based in the drone research and development centre, and a small testing facility allows these businesses to conduct immediate product testing.
Tsou emphasised that Chiayi's existing infrastructure provides a strong foundation for manufacturing, making it an ideal location for a major drone hub. "Chiayi is ready to act as a hub for the drone industry as it has a good foundation for manufacturing," Tsou said. However, to fully support the industry's growth, there is a need for a larger testing venue. "Now, we need a huge facility with larger runways for testing," he added. Plans are underway to build a larger testing venue that will help scale up Taiwan's drone production capacity.
In addition to the new testing facility, the MOEA is planning an aerospace and drone industrial park that will house approximately 100 companies. The industrial park is expected to be completed by 2028. The development comes at a time when global attention on drone technology has grown, especially with the increased use of drones in military applications following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, reported Taipei Times.
Currently, China leads the global drone market, with Shenzhen-based DJI holding a dominant 74 percent share of the global consumer drone market. Tsou acknowledged this dominance and the growing concerns among democratic nations about China's control over the drone supply chain. This has created an opportunity for Taiwan to establish a "non-red drone supply chain," which could help Taiwan carve out a significant share of the global market.
To further strengthen Taiwan's position in the international drone market, the MOEA established the Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (TEDIBOA) in September. Led by Aerospace Industrial Development Corp., the alliance has more than 120 members specialising in areas such as drone system integration and critical component development. "The move to form the TEDIBOA is the most efficient way to help Taiwanese drone developers seize on global business opportunities," Tsou said.
In addition to business development, the Taiwanese government is actively supporting the local drone industry. Recently, the Ministry of National Defence awarded contracts to four Taiwanese companies--Taiwan UAV, Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp, MiTAC Information Technology Corp, and Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corp--to supply the military with 3,422 drones over the next five years. Furthermore, the MOEA has allocated NTD 110 million (USD 3.36 million) in funding to support drone AI imaging and low-cost flight control dashboard development, with the budget pending approval from the Legislative Yuan, Taipei Times reported.
The production value of Taiwan's drone industry is projected to reach NTD 5 billion this year, with expectations to grow to NTD 40 billion by 2030. (ANI)