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Sep 23, 09:30
US-based Swarmer bets up to US$224M on Ukrainian combat robot maker Ratel
Autonomous software company Swarmer, based in Austin, Texas, has agreed to acquire Ukrainian unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) maker Ratel Robotics in a deal worth up to US$224 million. The acquisition aims to combine frontline battlefield experience with AI coordination software to build a platform that can integrate both ground and air unmanned systems.
China has taken another step toward deploying artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure in space after a commercial rocket launched nine satellites, including the country's first integrated "rocket-and-satellite" AI computing project.

South Korea and the US have hit an impasse in final-stage investment talks over commercial viability safeguards, with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung saying that some parts are hard to accept. The deadlock is raising concerns that the months-long negotiations over South Korea's investment plans in the US could collapse.

Following the Legislative Yuan's passage of the Act on Strengthening Defense Autonomy and Developing the Unmanned Vehicles Industry and its subsequent countersignature by the Executive Yuan, Taiwan's drone industry is preparing for a potential new wave of government procurement, with tenders possibly emerging by the end of 2026. While the expected domestic orders could provide a boost, Taiwanese drone manufacturers are also accelerating overseas expansion to diversify their customer base and reduce reliance on local procurement.

FarEasTone Telecommunications has cleared four of the six regulatory steps required to bring Amazon Leo to Taiwan, but commercial service will not start until 2027 at the earliest, in line with Amazon's own timetable.
As countries worldwide accelerate efforts to develop homegrown defense technology capabilities, Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) showcased three key technologies at the Taiwan Innotech Expo 2026 (TIE), aimed at moving defense research from the laboratory to the battlefield and advancing dual-use applications.
Starlink's massive scale in conventional low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites has markedly reinforced the satellite giant's aggressive grip on the commercial space industry for the next decade or so.

Very low Earth orbit (VLEO) is moving from concept toward real-world deployment.

The broader high-tech landscape has wondered for years about the subtle transactions and movements unfolding underneath the enormous technology ecosystem Elon Musk has stitched together amid a rapidly expanding business reach across AI-driven industries.
China's rare earth export controls are changing the rules governing global critical mineral supply chains. For Taiwan, the real concern is not that China could suddenly halt all exports one day, but that export licensing, end-use reviews, price volatility, longer lead times, and "hidden dependencies" embedded in intermediate materials and components could gradually raise the cost and uncertainty of maintaining normal production.
While the US showcases its strength as one of the world's established space powers — reinforced by SpaceX's growing dominance in satellite connectivity — a quieter but equally ambitious force is accelerating half a world away: China's push to build integrated, fully networked orbital infrastructure that goes beyond single-satellite launches.

The UK government has pledged GBP30 million (approx. US$40.6 million) to SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, placing domestic orbital launch capability at the center of its new space strategy as it seeks to advance commercial rocket launches, satellite communications, and national security in parallel.