Etron Technology's subsidiary eYs3D Microelectronics has achieved new milestones in visual sensing technology with the launch of multi-sensor control chips for robots and unmanned vehicles. The company's solution includes a proprietary AI platform featuring multimodal vision-language model (VLM) capabilities, providing clients with a comprehensive reference design for testing.
Taiwan's drone industry is surging amid growing demand for national defense autonomy and cybersecurity, but challenges persist. Companies face stiff competition from low-cost Chinese rivals, pressure to enhance component cost-efficiency, and the need to foster international collaborations.
In remarks at the Executive Yuan's 12th National Science and Technology Conference on December 16, TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei relayed insights from Elon Musk, who envisions multi-functional robots and drones as the next wave of AI applications. Despite Taiwan's promising tech landscape, research by government advisory bodies has identified critical gaps in Taiwan's supply chains for both robots and drones that need urgent attention.
Japanese telecommunications company KDDI and its subsidiaries KDDI SmartDrone and KDDI Research have successfully completed a fully unmanned automated logistics delivery experiment in collaboration with partners including Tier IV and Aisan Technology.
Aegiverse is betting big on fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOG) as military demand for resilient navigation systems surges amid growing drone and satellite deployments. The National Central University spinoff, founded in 2022, is pushing into US and Indian markets while deepening ties with Taiwanese defense contractors.
Taiwan has launched the "Defense Innovation Unit" to accelerate the development of dual-use military technologies, with a particular focus on drones and countermeasures. The initiative draws inspiration from the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which collaborates with private tech firms to integrate commercial innovations into defense applications swiftly. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense aims to replicate this model, fostering collaboration between its military and civilian sectors to modernize defense capabilities and reduce reliance on traditional military frameworks.
Taiwan's emerging drone sector shows promise but faces hurdles in catching up with China's established industry. Recent events demonstrate Taiwan's commitment to growing its drone sector, including the first specialized drone display at the Taipei International Electronics Show (TAITRONICS) in 2024 and the planned drone section at COMPUTEX in 2025.
China's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency, spurred by US restrictions, is yielding dual-use technological advances that span both civilian and defense sectors. Several key developments highlight this trend.
Development of drones and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in Taiwan has been hindered by a lack of domestically developed chips, according to industry sources.
Nearly 60 space companies are showcasing their latest innovations at TASTI Expo 2024, demonstrating Taiwan's growing aerospace capabilities. The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) leads the exhibition with Formosat-8, featuring locally developed components including optical payload, GPSR, satellite computer, power systems, and communication modules.
The largest US drone maker struggles with supply chain disruption after selling drones to Taiwan's fire departments, with current inventory projected to last until spring 2025.
Taiwan is making a determined push into aerospace as part of its "Five Trusted Industry Sectors" initiative, with the sector reaching NT$133.6 billion (US$4.2 billion) in output, returning to pre-pandemic levels. This industry, deemed critical for national defense and technological advancement, is experiencing a renaissance after the severe disruption of 2020-2022.
Jensen Huang recently identified drones as one of three types of robots suitable for mass production, marking his first public statement classifying drones within the robotics ecosystem. This observation follows his earlier assertion that "AI in its most general form is robotic."
Taiwan is making an aggressive push into the global drone market, leveraging its manufacturing prowess and "non-red" supply chain status as Western nations seek alternatives to Chinese providers, according to government officials and industry executives.
Thunder Tiger Technology, a leading drone manufacturer in Taiwan, has revealed impressive achievements at this year's AUSA (Association of the United States Army) Convention and has secured interest from many clients. Additionally, the company is collaborating with Israeli drone optics giant NextVision to expand production.
The Taiwan Drone Excellence Overseas Business Alliance, established in late 2024, has secured Poland as its second "ally" after Oklahoma, US. The partnership aims to advance international drone sales, technology development, supply chain integration, and global competitiveness.
US defense technology companies are increasingly looking to Taiwan as a critical manufacturing base and supply chain partner, as revealed during a recent Arizona-led trade delegation to Taipei. The mission, which included four emerging defense tech firms, highlights growing bilateral cooperation in aerospace and defense amid rising regional tensions.
With heightened US-China tech competition looming ahead of the US presidential election, one outcome seems certain: the rivalry—especially in drones—will only accelerate efforts to reduce dependency on Chinese suppliers. The commercial drone market, in particular, is garnering strong interest as firms eye the gaps left by DJI, the leading player now facing tougher restrictions. Industry analysts predict DJI may face challenges in the commercial and specialized markets, though its consumer base likely won't be affected.
Taiwan's drone industry is second in the world, behind only China's, according to Andrew Ng, general partner at AI Fund, which is aiming to advance AI applications in drones. Speaking on the eve of the US presidential election, Ng reflected on the significance of democracy and expressed hope that AI development can flourish in a democratic Taiwan.
Carbon-Based Technology recently delivered its "Albatross II" drone to Taiwan's Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) alongside Air Asia Company Limited (AACL). However, due to budget constraints for next year that have halted production, the company's plans for scaling up the advanced drone are temporarily on hold. Despite the setback, Carbon-Based Technology states it has readied production capacity and will now target high-demand commercial markets in Northeast and Southeast Asia.
As the only Taiwanese exhibitor at the 2024 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) show, Thunder Tiger is strengthening its presence for the second consecutive year, demonstrating notable evolution in its offerings.
Interest in the drone industry has surged to new heights. Following the 2024 Taipei International Electronics Show (TAITRONICS) and AIoT Taiwan, which debuted the "Drone Taiwan" pavilion, Computex 2025 is set to introduce a dedicated drone section. 24 local companies, spanning the drone and key components supply chain, will showcase Taiwan's research and manufacturing capabilities.
Aiseed, a burgeoning startup in the drone sector, is leveraging edge AI technology to carve out its niche in the market. The team recently stated that integrating edge AI into drones will become as indispensable as Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems are for smart vehicles. The surge in military procurement contracts has significantly boosted demand for commercial drones, prompting numerous startups to seize the opportunity to establish a foothold in the global non-restricted supply chain through domestic orders.
US-Taiwan cooperation on developing an autonomous defense supply chain in the drone sector is accelerating, as two delegations of American drone industry representatives visited Taiwan in late September and early October.
