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Friday 31 October 2025

Taiwan's Coretronic ramps up drone production as rare earth risks loom

Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corp. (CIRC), a subsidiary of Taiwan's Coretronic Group, said it is ramping up drone production to meet growing government and defense demand. The company is currently fulfilling a 3,037-unit order from Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense and plans to increase production capacity fivefold by the end of 2026.

Thursday 30 October 2025

Shinkong InnovHub launch to boost Taiwan's drone and tech industries

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation (SSFC) broke ground on October 28, 2025, for its Shinkong InnovHub, a drone base integrating R&D, testing, manufacturing, talent incubation, and flight applications. The initiative aims to energize Taiwan's drone sector and emerging technology industries.

Thursday 30 October 2025

Taiwan's 1H25 drone exports surge sevenfold as EU certification hurdles persist

Taiwan's drone exports surged sevenfold in the first half of 2025, with Europe emerging as the largest destination. However, industry experts note that the main challenge for Taiwanese drone makers entering the European Union (EU) market lies not in production capacity but in meeting stringent international certification standards.

Wednesday 29 October 2025

Europe's aerospace giants unite to challenge SpaceX's Starlink

Determined not to let SpaceX's Starlink dominate the fast-growing market for low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite communications, Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo — three of Europe's largest aerospace and defense contractors — have agreed to combine parts of their satellite manufacturing and service businesses into a new joint venture.

Wednesday 29 October 2025

Taiwan drone maker CBT expands capacity with military UAV delivery to defense institute

Taiwan's unmanned drone developer Carbon-Based Technology (CBT) has announced an expanded investment in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sector to accelerate production capacity growth and technological upgrades. Its Albatross II drone, developed in partnership with AirAsia, has been officially delivered to the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) for subsequent mass production.

Wednesday 29 October 2025

Drone startup Earthbook aims for true unmanned operations

Earthbook, the first drone company to join Shinkong InnovHub, is advancing Taiwan's drone applications in disaster relief, cargo transport, and communications. Earthbook CEO Ian Hsu attended a groundbreaking ceremony for InnovHub on October 28, 2025, highlighting challenges faced by startups, such as a lack of test flight sites and manufacturing facilities—issues that InnovHub aims to resolve.

Wednesday 29 October 2025

Taiwan’s Joules Miles powers up for the satellite-drone era

Taiwanese lithium battery module maker Joules Miles (JMS) is positioning itself for long-term growth in emerging aerospace and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) markets, betting on the rapid expansion of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite deployments and the global drone industry.

Tuesday 28 October 2025

Korean startup builds cardboard drones, deploys pollution trackers for combat and environmental monitoring

At the Boom-Up Festival 2025, one of Korea's largest gatherings of startups and investors, WOW Future Tech CEO Munju Kim drew attention with an unconventional idea: building drones out of cardboard and recycled packaging materials.

Thursday 23 October 2025

Korean Air unveils 3 homegrown drones to boost defense capabilities

For the first time, Korean Air has unveiled three self-developed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), signaling its evolution into a comprehensive aerospace company encompassing artificial intelligence (AI), manned and unmanned systems, and maintenance, repair, overhaul, and modification (MROM) services.

Wednesday 22 October 2025

Taiwan–Korea pact targets rising drone threats at sea

Tron Future and Huneed Technologies have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to jointly develop and market advanced maritime anti-drone systems for both manned and unmanned platforms. The agreement was signed during the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX 2025), South Korea's biennial defense trade show.

Tuesday 21 October 2025

Taiwan's drone industry value doubles in two years

Chinese drone maker DJI had once dominated over 70% of the global consumer drone market and as much as 90% in the US. However, Taiwan's domestic drone makers in recent years have begun to shine in the dual-use (civilian and military) market. The industry's production value surpassed NT$5 billion (approx. US$163 million) in 2024 and is expected to exceed NT$10 billion in 2025.

Monday 20 October 2025

Cheap drones reshape modern warfare economics

A new reality is setting in on the modern battlefield. Attackers are using drones that cost thousands of dollars to force defenders to fire missiles worth millions. This lopsided economic fight is a key feature of modern asymmetric warfare, evident from the war in Ukraine to conflicts in the Red Sea. Strategies built on cheap, mass-produced weapons are proving highly effective and are now central to both offense and defense.

Saturday 18 October 2025

Taiwan's 'Mighty Hornet' drones target asymmetric warfare gap

Taiwan is accelerating its development of attack drones to strengthen its asymmetric warfare capabilities, with the new "Mighty Hornet" series leading the charge. This strategic shift addresses a critical gap in Taiwan's defenses, drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine and responding to the growing military threat across the strait.

Friday 17 October 2025

Taiwan's US$1.44 billion bid to become Asia-Pacific's democratic drone hub

The Taiwanese government announced a major investment of NT$44.2 billion (US$1.36 billion) to develop a new fleet of advanced drones. The plan, unveiled on October 16, 2025, aims to produce 26 types of high-endurance drones designed for extreme conditions. Officials said the initiative is a core part of a strategy to bolster national defense and establish Taiwan as a key partner in a "democratic drone supply chain" for the Asia-Pacific region.

Thursday 16 October 2025

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers charts new growth paths amid global headwinds, expanding into semiconductors and drones

At the opening of the 2025 Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show (TITAS) on October 14, Tong-sheng Wu, chairman of Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation (SSFC)—a subsidiary of Shinkong Group—addressed the industry's ongoing challenges, from global tariffs to China's low-price dumping. Despite this, he maintained an optimistic outlook, remarking, "Business is always tough, but there are always opportunities."

Thursday 16 October 2025

With Tesla ahead and China rising, Hyundai races to reinvent itself

Since taking the helm of Hyundai Motor Group five years ago, Chairman Eui-sun Chung has steered the South Korean automaker to new heights, vaulting past global rivals to become the world's third-largest car manufacturer. His leadership has been defined by bold investments and aggressive market expansion. Now, as the global auto industry enters a phase of profound disruption, Chung is doubling down once again.

Tuesday 14 October 2025

China's rare earth clampdown risks jeopardizing Taiwan's drone expansion

China has once again expanded export controls on rare earth minerals, injecting fresh uncertainty into global defense manufacturing. The move poses a direct risk to Taiwan's massive drone procurement program.

Tuesday 14 October 2025

Taiwan's drone boom hits US tech monopoly wall

As global demand for drones skyrockets, Taiwan's homegrown industry is rapidly advancing, attracting intense interest from American and European buyers seeking a reliable alternative to China's supply chain.

Thursday 9 October 2025

US expands export controls, citing Chinese firms' support for Hamas and Houthis

The US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced on October 8, 2025, that it is placing 29 Chinese and Hong Kong entities onto its strengthened Entity List—a move that bans or severely restricts US exports to those organizations without special approval. The decision, BIS said, targets firms suspected of supplying Iran-backed armed groups like Hamas and the Houthis in Yemen with drones built using US electronic components.

Thursday 9 October 2025

Taiwan's drone maker eyes DJI throne as US$1.6 billion military contract looms

Sun Yad Group's subsidiary, Myson Century, is positioning itself as a rising star in the drone industry with its vertically integrated approach—from IC design to full drone manufacturing. Proudly designed and made in Taiwan, its drones target industrial inspection, logistics, and disaster relief applications. Over 70% of the components are self-produced, underscoring the company's commitment to domestic innovation. With plans to launch on Amazon globally in the fourth quarter of 2025, Myson Century boldly aims to become the "Taiwanese DJI," challenging the market leader in drones.

Tuesday 7 October 2025

Dragonfly UAS joins Qisda in drone push

To accelerate its expansion in the drone market, Qisda has recently incorporated two drone companies, one of which is Dragonfly UAS. Apart from being a distributor in Taiwan for American firm Skydio's drones that are in active use by the US military, Dragonfly UAS has also launched its self-developed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones.

Tuesday 7 October 2025

Taiwan-US attack drones partnership eyes mass production by 2026

The Russia-Ukraine war has fundamentally reshaped modern warfare, and recent Pentagon concerns about missile stockpiles have underscored a strategic shift. Future conflicts are expected to favor low-cost, mass-produced weapons built from mature commercial technology and scalable private-sector manufacturing.

Tuesday 7 October 2025

AbonMax's tactical drone to ship first batch in November despite test setback

Alongside official collaborations between Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and leading Western defense contractors, private companies such as AbonMax are accelerating their efforts in developing attack drones.

Sunday 5 October 2025

Taiwan defense firms ramp up drone output as Trump blocks US$400M sale

Taiwanese defense suppliers are doubling down on both domestic and overseas orders as global demand for military hardware accelerates. Unmanned systems have become a central focus of Taiwan's defense self-reliance strategy, with the Ministry of National Defense planning large-scale drone and unmanned vessel procurements. Rising defense budgets in the US and Europe, where governments are seeking to replenish arsenals, add further momentum to the sector.

Friday 3 October 2025

Taiwan's top aerospace firm pivots to drones as major jet program ends

Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) is preparing for a major business shift as its advanced jet trainer program wraps up in 2026. The aerospace giant announced it is aggressively pursuing new contracts, with a sharp focus on unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, to fuel its future growth in the defense sector.

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