TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Institute for Information Industry (III) and the National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen Taiwan’s AI and key defense technologies.
National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文), Taiwan Drone-Tech Integration Consortium Chair Luis Ko (高志明), and Industrial Technology Research Institute Director Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) attended the signing.
Ko, who is also chair of I-Mei Foods, said he expects future collaboration between the two sides. To support unmanned system development, the company has built the Bong-Khang Wind Tunnel at its Taoyuan Longtan factory to test unmanned aerial vehicles and robotic dogs under extreme weather conditions. He said the consortium has also launched a drone training program for university students.
NCSIST President Lee Shih-chiang (李世強) gave III Director Huang Chung-ming (黃仲銘) a model of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile, symbolizing the importance of their collaboration in advancing Taiwan’s industrial and defense sectors.
Huang said III has been supporting domestic companies in applying AI technologies to real-world uses. The institute has also partnered with the Administration for Digital Industries to establish a cybersecurity service center at an industrial park in Tainan’s Guiren District, which it said is the first facility in Taiwan to integrate demonstration, training, and testing functions to help industries strengthen cybersecurity.
Huang said the partnership aims to bolster domestic information and communications technology systems, software development, AI applications, cybersecurity testing, and defense infrastructure upgrades.
Lee said the Russia–Ukraine war has underscored the importance of autonomous unmanned systems and software development in hardware performance. He added that future development of unmanned systems will focus on how effectively autonomous systems can support operations.
Lee said NCSIST has served as Taiwan’s key defense technology research institute and has also been collaborating with international defense companies, including Anduril, AeroVironment, and Northrop Grumman, on UAVs, unmanned surface vehicles, and autonomous systems.
The Cabinet has proposed a defense budget of NT$949.5 billion (US$30.2 billion) for this year, accounting for 3.32% of GDP, pending approval from the Legislative Yuan. Part of the budget will continue to fund NCSIST’s research and development projects.
The Cabinet said Taiwan’s drone industry grew from NT$5 billion (US$159.3 million) in 2024 to NT$12.9 billion last year. Exports rose from NT$140 million in 2024 to NT$2.95 billion, mainly to the Czech Republic, Poland, and the US.
The government has completed cybersecurity testing standards for drones. UAVs must pass cybersecurity checks conducted by the Ministry of Digital Affairs and exclude certain Chinese-made chips before they can be sold.
According to the Civil Aviation Administration, Taiwan has 20 drone testing sites and is enhancing airspace management, radio frequency identification, and electronic fence measures. Testing and regulatory frameworks for unmanned ships were also completed last year.
* I-Mei Foods is the parent company of Taiwan News.
