TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A drone detection system at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport detected suspicious activity Monday afternoon, approximately 850 meters from the threshold of Runway 23L.

The system immediately activated a joint-area response mechanism. About two hours later, the situation was resolved when Aviation Police Bureau authorities located and arrested the operator, per CNA.

According to the bureau, the operator was processed under the Civil Aviation Act and could face a fine ranging from NT$300,000 (US$9,200) to NT$1.5 million. The act prohibits drones from flying within 10 kilometers beyond both ends of a runway and within a 5-kilometer radius of the airport.

To detect unauthorized drone activity around the airport, a control initiative was launched in June 2023 with support from the transportation and defense ministries. The National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) was commissioned to establish a surveillance system with advanced detection technologies.

Since the program’s implementation, the system has detected 28 incidents that affected flight operations, including two cases where runways were temporarily closed due to drones breaching the airport’s no-fly zone.

The airport also plans to integrate the system with the bureau’s drone management platform and has commissioned NCSIST to develop a mobile detection app. This will allow aviation police and nearby precincts to access real-time drone activity on their devices.

NCSIST added that the system can also support joint air defense operations in wartime.

From 2019 to May 2023, the airport relied on pilot or public reports to identify drone activity. During that time, there were seven incidents in which runway operations were suspended. However, most reports lacked precise location data, and manual investigations often failed to identify the drone operators.