Taiwan's drone industry is undergoing a critical transformation, with Geosat Aerospace & Technology at the forefront. Yung-Lan Yeh, a manager at Geosat, recently highlighted two pivotal challenges in drone development during an interview with DIGITIMES: structural supply chain issues and the fundamental importance of power systems. Yeh emphasized that drones must be developed from an aerospace perspective and warned that without mastering power systems, Taiwan risks falling behind, as even minor imbalances in components like propeller blades could lead to catastrophic failures.

Microcontroller (MCU) vendor Sonix Technology has ventured into the drone market by launching a high-resolution digital image transmission system to enhance the real-time control of unmanned vehicles.

The collaboration between Taiwan and Japan in the drone sector is taking shape. The Taiwanese Excellence Drone Alliance (TEDIBOA) has recently formed a new partnership with the Japan Drone Consortium (JDC). Both parties announced further cooperation as Ann Wu, chairman of CIRC, signed a memorandum of understanding with Kenzo Nonami, chairman of JDC.

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has designated a national launch site in Jiupeng Village, Manzhoug Township, Pingtung County, at the fourth site selection review meeting on March 26. In its press release announcing the site's selection, the NSTC also noted the government's plans for aerospace outreach at the site, such as a space museum or education center, with the goal of benefitting the locale. Ensuing detailed planning and environmental evaluation will begin after the announcement.

Taiwan is gearing up efforts for the development of drones, with the southern county of Chiayi becoming a hub to accommodate related supply chains.

The Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (TEDIBOA) will announce in May its latest results in cultivating new opportunities for Taiwan's drone industry, according to alliance leader Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC). After more than six months of continuous effort overseas, industry insiders note that international drone makers have now gained insight into the advantages of Taiwan's supply chain, with particular interest surrounding two key technologies.

A Taiwanese shipbuilder has launched a military-grade unmanned surface vessel (USV) that it independently developed without any involvement from China's supply chain.

The drone sector is experiencing robust growth globally, driven by both military conflicts and expanding commercial applications. Amazon's deployment of delivery drones and Taiwan's potential adoption for traffic enforcement illustrate the broadening scope of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) utilization. According to AIDC's senior vice president Jennifer Chuang, who recently attended Germany's XPONENTIAL Europe exhibition, this expansion reflects evolving warfare concepts and commercial innovations.

Japan's Meiko is set to become the third supplier in the low-Earth orbit satellite market by 2025, challenging the dominance of Taiwanese manufacturers Compeq and Unitech as geopolitical tensions drive supply chain diversification.

Taiwan's Wonderful Hi Tech Technology is aggressively entering the artificial intelligence market with high-speed internal cables and customized low-Earth orbit satellite solutions, targeting 20-25% compound annual revenue growth over the next five years, according to General Manager Cheng-Ya Zhang.

Universal Microwave Technology (UMT) is accelerating production capacity to meet surging global demand for low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite components, with the Taiwan-based manufacturer projecting this segment will exceed 50% of total revenue by 2025, according to Chairperson Shumin Chen.