Taiwan targets 100,000 monthly drone output, export growth

Taipei, May 21 (CNA) Taiwan's drone industry is expected to expand significantly by 2030, with projected monthly production capacity of 100,000 units and 50 percent exported, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said Thursday.

Chiou Chyou-huey (邱求慧), director-general of the MOEA's Industrial Development Administration, said during a media briefing that under a government program to develop the unmanned vehicle sector, Taiwan's drone output value grew 2.5-fold last year to NT$12.9 billion (US$408.44 million).

Chiou said current monthly drone production capacity is about 15,000 units, but noted that the industry can quickly scale up as demand increases. He added that capacity is projected to exceed 100,000 units per month by 2030, achieving economies of scale.

Taiwan's drone industry is still mainly driven by domestic demand, with commercially produced military-grade products accounting for the bulk of output, the director-general said.

Currently, exports account for just over 20 percent, led by the Czech Republic, Poland and the United States, he said, indicating that in the first four months of this year, the outbound shipment of drones reached US$147 million.

By 2030, the export share of Taiwan's total drone output is projected to exceed 50 percent, he added.

According to Chiou during a weekly Cabinet press briefing on April 30, Taiwan's drone exports totaled US$93 million in 2025.

When comparing Taiwan and China, he said Chinese consumer-grade drones have a significant price advantage due to large-scale production. However, for military-grade commercial drones, where anti-jamming capability, autonomous flight and reliability are more important, he said the price gap is narrower, and Taiwan remains competitive.

Speaking about the XPONENTIAL 2026 unmanned systems exhibition that recently concluded in Detroit, Chiou said it featured finished products and key components and drew firms from the United States, Japan, South Korea and Turkey for potential cooperation, with preliminary business opportunities estimated at about NT$1.3 billion across optical modules, systems and thermal imaging.

During the event, he said Taiwan also signed memorandums of understanding with the Michigan Drone Association and the North Dakota Trade Office, focusing on autonomous flight, urban air mobility and shared test facilities to help Taiwanese firms access more complete testing and certification resources.