Taiwan's drone exports soar nearly 750% in H1

Taipei, July 27 (CNA) Taiwan's drone exports soared nearly 750% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, with Poland the biggest buyer, as European countries ramped up orders amid the European Union's (EU) growing focus on defense and cybersecurity, according to the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

Taiwan exported US$11.89 million worth of drones in the first half of 2025, up 749 percent from a year earlier, with Poland accounting for over 54 percent of the total at US$6.48 million, according to Customs data.

The United States was the second-largest buyer, importing US$1.55 million worth of Taiwanese drones in the first half of 2025, up 209 percent year-on-year. Germany ranked third with purchases totaling US$1.46 million - a 258-fold increase from a year earlier.

The Czech Republic, which began importing Taiwan-made drones earlier this year, ranked fourth with purchases totaling US$1.04 million, ahead of Hong Kong's US$1 million, which marked a 36.9 percent year-on-year increase.

The top five buyers made up about 97 percent of Taiwan's total drone exports during the six-month period, the data showed.

TAITRA, a government-backed trade promotion group, said that amid rising geopolitical tensions, European countries are working to strengthen defense and cybersecurity, develop key components, and build a "non-red" supply chain by turning to non-Chinese suppliers.

The group said that following escalations in the Ukraine-Russia war and tensions in the Middle East, the EU has turned its attention to Taiwan-made drones, drawn by the country's strengths in ICT and proven manufacturing capabilities.

TAITRA added that Taiwan's strong democratic values have also appealed to like-minded buyers in Europe.

With rising demand from Europe, TAITRA said drones are being used for military purposes such as border security, homeland monitoring, and anti-drone defense, while the private sector is adopting them for agriculture, infrastructure inspections and urban surveillance.

TAITRA said European governments and companies are looking for reliable drone suppliers, and Taiwan has seized the opportunity to enter the market.

In September 2024, the Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (TEDIBOA) was formed with over 120 members specializing in areas such as drone system integration and critical component development.

The alliance has helped coordinate members' efforts to promote their products overseas. While Chinese drones remain cost-efficient, an industry source said growing demand for secure, non-Chinese supply chains has allowed Taiwanese suppliers to gain ground in European and American markets.

The source said TEDIBOA members specialize in drone assembly, module and battery development, and ground equipment. Through vertical and horizontal integration, Taiwanese manufacturers are able to respond quickly to client needs.