Taiwan to launch global drone alliance: ministry

DEFENSE PARTNER: GUARD aims to expand Taiwanese drone makers’ access to international markets and create a trustworthy UAV ecosystem, an official said

• By Fang Wei-li and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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Taiwan is launching a global alliance for uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to facilitate technology exchange and build secure supply chains, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

The Global UAV Alliance for Resilience and Democracy (GUARD) would be founded on the groundwork laid by the Global UAV Academy and existing bilateral cooperation frameworks, said Chiang Zhen-wei (江振瑋), head of the ministry’s drone diplomacy task force.

The alliance would focus on supply chain linkages, international certifications, professional training and education, international competitions and industry expo promotion, he told reporters at a news conference in Taipei marking the anniversary of the government’s drone diplomacy project.

Drones used by the Changhua County Police Department are pictured in an undated photograph.

Photo: Taipei Times

Through GUARD, Taiwan aims to expand domestic drone makers’ access to the international market and help safeguard a resilient and trustworthy UAV ecosystem for democracies, Chiang said.

In connection with implementing drone diplomacy, the Taiwan Defense Industry Development Association and Global UAV Academy on Oct. 30 held the Taiwan Drone International Forum, an event that also marked the official opening of the academy, he said.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and former Czech Chamber of Deputies president Marketa Pekarova Adamova were among more than 350 officials, academics and industry representatives who attended the forum, he said.

Attendees exchanged views on critical components, supply chain cooperation and technological innovation, as well as Taiwan’s efforts to transform itself into a democratic supply chain hub for drones in Asia, Chiang said.

Lin witnessed the signing of memorandums of understanding by the academy and its partners, including the state-run National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology and Polish Chamber of Unmanned Systems, he said.

The agreements concerned supply chain links, technology exchanges and cooperation on professional training and education, he said.

At the Berlin Security Conference last week, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) joined other senior Taiwanese officials in discussing the nation’s defense and societal resilience, while representatives of the drone diplomacy task force spoke separately about drone and counterdrone systems and Ukraine’s experience in drone warfare, Chiang said.

The ministry’s delegation emphasized Taiwan’s potential to contribute to Europe’s efforts to create secure, trustworthy supply chains for drones by drawing on Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors, information and communications technology, and precision manufacturing, he said.

The visit enabled Taiwanese drone makers to showcase their capabilities, especially in supplying critical components and fostering business-to-business supply chain links, he said.