The Talent Behind Taiwan's Big Bet on Drones

TaiwanPlus News

Taiwan is betting big on drone technology. The country not only sees it as a practical tool for everyday life, but also as a vital part of the country's defense strategy in the face of an existential threat.

Transcript

00:01From agriculture, to photography, to animal conservation,

00:07drones are an emerging technology that Taiwan has quickly adopted.

00:24The country is moving quickly to build its own domestic drone industry,

00:29encompassing everything from education, R&D, and production.

00:34In recent years, drones have taken the spotlight in the defense industry.

00:38They've emerged as a vital tool in Ukraine's fight against Russia,

00:42and their effectiveness has caught Taiwan's attention.

00:46Taiwan faces its own invasion threats from neighboring China.

00:50Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory

00:53and has not ruled out taking the island nation by force.

00:57Facing this threat, Taiwan has taken a page out of Ukraine's playbook,

01:02adopting drone tech as a key part of its defense strategy.

01:06But that strategy right now depends on one crucial factor, talent.

01:11How will Taiwan harness the power of drones if there's no one to build or develop them?

01:16That's where the country's schools are stepping in.

01:23At National Formosa University in western Taiwan,

01:26the aeronautical engineering department is housing a budding drone program.

01:31Students here are given hands-on experience before they go out into the job market.

01:35When they come in high school, they have been able to use all firearms to use the niño-lead machine.

01:39Other people go out into the job market.

01:42When they go out until college, they have been able to use the car,

01:45and they have fun for the 낮.

01:47So they take what was first to learn to they do the trains for the crew.

01:48So I moved to the schoolesin ville in

01:59is the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center,

02:05a government initiative to help accelerate industry growth.

02:09Over 50 private companies, schools, and research institutes

02:13have set up shop at the center.

02:15For some, it's a more ideal place for developing drones.

02:29On the front lines of Taiwan's drone trade

02:41are manufacturers and sellers.

02:44Many of them create custom specialized UAVs on a smaller scale.

02:49They say fully commercializing Taiwan's drone market

02:52still depends on demand.

02:59Taiwan is betting big on drones.

03:19The technology has proven practical in everyday life,

03:22but it could also be a lifeline for the country

03:26as it faces an existential threat from across the strait.

03:30Where Taiwan goes from here in fulfilling its drone ambitions

03:33is now up to those making, buying, and operating them.

03:37Lee Sin-Chun and Leslie Liao for Taiwan Plus.

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