National Formosa University held the "Advanced Drone Manufacturing and Testing Laboratory" Technical Service Briefing on 2/26 (Wednesday) at the Asia Drone AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi, bringing together representatives from industry, government, and academia to exchange ideas on drone technology development, testing and verification, and industrial applications, advancing the upgrading of Taiwan's drone industry.
The event was attended by government representatives including Legislator Tsai Yi-Yu, Chen Yi-Fan, Deputy Executive Officer of the Executive Yuan's Yun-Chia-Nan Regional Joint Services Center, Yen Yu-Chih, Section Chief of the Metal and Electromechanical Industries Division at the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Industrial Development Administration, and Hsiao Yu-Yuan, Section Chief at the Chiayi County Government's Department of Economic Development. Industry leaders in attendance included Chuang Hsiu-Mei, Deputy General Manager of Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), and Su Sheng-Chieh, General Manager of ThunderTiger Corporation, among others. Dr. Chi Li-Ping, Project Lead at the Aeronautical Systems Research Division of the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), delivered a keynote lecture on "Future Development Trends of the Drone Industry."
NFU has long been engaged in drone technology research and development. The "Advanced Drone Manufacturing and Testing Laboratory" provides four core technical services: drone manufacturing, testing, smart applications, and flight verification, integrating advanced manufacturing, composite material processing, precision testing, and AI applications to create a comprehensive technology R&D venue. President Chang Hsin-Liang stated that the university hopes to share its equipment and technology with industry through the laboratory, jointly promoting the stable development of the drone industry.
Legislator Tsai Yi-Yu stated that the biggest challenge currently facing the drone industry is that demand cannot support the production scale of manufacturers. He noted that, since drones are part of the national defense strategic framework, the government's military procurement efforts and how military-commercial dual-use standards are established hold significant importance for the defense industry. He expressed hope that Taiwan's drone industry can use the Asia Innovation Center as its R&D base, and noted that a drone manufacturing plant will also soon be established at the Minsyong Aerospace Industrial Park, urging the industry to seize this trend and pursue international development.
Chen Yi-Fan, Deputy Executive Officer of the Executive Yuan's Yun-Chia-Nan Regional Joint Services Center, noted that when President Lai Ching-Te was inaugurated, he identified Taiwan's five trusted industries: semiconductors, artificial intelligence, defense, security surveillance, and next-generation communications — with the drone industry falling under the defense category. She estimated that the market for drones is projected to reach NT$30 billion by 2028, and expressed hope that this growth will drive broader economic development across various industries while also strengthening Taiwan's national defense security.
Chuang Hsiu-Mei, Deputy General Manager of AIDC, who also attended on behalf of the Taiwan Excellence Drone Overseas Business Alliance, pointed out that the global drone market is expected to reach $163.4 billion annually by 2030. She stated that Taiwan should consolidate its resources to support the development of the drone industry, filling technology gaps in communications, flight control, and payload systems. She also noted the need for NFU to provide testing services, and expressed confidence that NFU students, through hands-on operation and learning at the facility, can become the highest-quality workforce to support the drone industry.
Su Sheng-Chieh, General Manager of ThunderTiger Corporation, stated that NFU's Advanced Drone Laboratory has invested nearly NT$100 million, and as one of the earliest companies to establish a presence at the Asia Innovation Center, ThunderTiger has an in-depth understanding of the laboratory. He shared examples of the two parties' collaboration, noting that in manufacturing, they have jointly developed a VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) transforming drone, with a micro model already completed and larger models to follow. In testing, ThunderTiger's collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs on medium-to-large helicopters relies on testing data provided by NFU, reducing dependence on foreign testing agencies. He also encouraged companies to make full use of NFU's laboratory resources for related testing and verification.
In his keynote lecture on "Future Development Trends of the Drone Industry," Dr. Chi Li-Ping of NCSIST's Aeronautical Systems Research Division pointed out that intelligentization, swarm capability, weaponization, and human-machine collaboration will become mainstream development directions for military drone systems. He emphasized the critical importance of cross-ministerial government integration and resource investment for industry growth, while also noting that exports, real-world combat validation, and brand-building will help strengthen the resilience of Taiwan's drone industry.
The event also included a tour of the laboratory, showcasing the complete process and key technologies involved in drone manufacturing and testing. Companies responded enthusiastically, expressing hope that industry-academia collaboration will promote technology verification and market application, accelerating the international competitiveness of Taiwan's drone industry.
Article provided by: Department of Aircraft Engineering
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| NFU's "Advanced Drone Laboratory" Technical Service Briefing brings together representatives from industry, government, and academia to discuss industry development needs. |
Legislator Tsai Yi-Yu states that NFU serves as an important bridge connecting government and private companies in jointly advancing the drone industry. |
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| ThunderTiger Corporation General Manager Su Sheng-Chieh shares examples of collaboration with NFU's drone laboratory. |
Dr. Chi Li-Ping of NCSIST's Aeronautical Systems Research Division delivers a keynote lecture on "Future Development Trends of the Drone Industry." |