AIDC partners with Vantor to sharpen drone positioning

Taipei, Dec. 3 (CNA) Taiwan's fighter jet developer Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) has signed a software integration deal with U.S. geospatial intelligence company Vantor Technologies to improve the positioning accuracy of its military drones, the defense manufacturer said Wednesday.

AIDC President Tsao Chin-pin (曹進平) signed the software integration and distribution license agreement with Will Cocos, Vantor's chief transformation officer, at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference 2025 (I/ITSEC), the world's largest military training and simulation exhibition, in Orlando on Tuesday (U.S. time).

Vantor's Raptor Guide system, is designed to provide precise navigation for drones operating in GPS-denied environments. The software uses high-accuracy 3D terrain data and vision-based positioning to help drones determine their location with absolute accuracy of less than 7 meters in all directions.

The two companies first signed an MOU at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition in September. In a real-world drone simulation in November, AIDC said drones equipped with Raptor demonstrated high positioning accuracy without the need for costly anti-interference antennas or radar, significantly reducing procurement and maintenance costs.

AIDC said it plans to tailor Raptor's applications for different drone models, enabling a series of products and services that could support local defense firms in integrating the technology and strengthening Taiwan's drone industry.

Tsao said drone systems and counterforce technologies have been major areas of focus for AIDC in line with global aerospace trends and national defense priorities. The collaboration with Vantor represents "a major step toward building the foundation for entering the market," he said.

Taiwan's Armaments Bureau announced a major military drone procurement plan in July, saying it will purchase 11,270 drones in 2026 and 37,480 in 2027 -- one of Taiwan's largest drone acquisitions to date.