TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Industrial Technology Research Institute’s drone team took part in Xponential Europe, held in Germany from Tuesday to Thursday, CNA reported.
The Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance led representatives from 25 drone manufacturers and academic institutions to showcase Taiwan's drone technology and seek more overseas orders.
Yeh Shih-hao (葉時昊), a staff member of the institute's information and communication research lab, said its drones integrate AI and can be applied in five key areas, including: bridge inspection, intersection monitoring, fish school detection, and warehouse management.
Yeh said using drones to inspect bridges can reduce personnel injuries and enhance operational efficiency. The drones can examine and identify bridges and AI technology automatically analyzes the images.
Intersection monitoring involves analyzing traffic flow and signals related to accidents, using AI to predict potential vehicle movement. Yeh said the institute's drones are being tested at 69 intersections across 12 regions in Taiwan.
Additionally, the institute's drones can accurately search for and identify fish schools, with the ability to autonomously return to the launch point. Yeh highlighted that drones provide a significant cost-saving advantage compared to using helicopters for fish school detection.
The institute also displayed hydrogen and lithium batteries at the event. Hsieh Teng-tsun (謝登存), a staff member of the institute's materials and chemical engineering research lab, said hydrogen batteries are environmentally friendly and offer drones an extended flight range.
Lithium batteries provide the high burst power required during a drone's takeoff and landing, Hsieh added.
The institute also launched speed controllers and motors for drones. It aims to strengthen Taiwan's capabilities in both hardware and software development for drones and establish a complete supply chain.
Aegiverse Company's fiber optic gyroscope was also showcased at the event. CEO Cung Hung-pin (鍾宏彬) said the product, which can be used in positioning systems, helps drones navigate and avoid signal interference.
