Taipei: Taiwan's drone industry is poised for substantial growth by 2030, targeting a monthly production capacity of 100,000 units with half of these projected for export, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced.

According to Focus Taiwan, Chiou Chyou-huey, the director-general of the MOEA's Industrial Development Administration, revealed during a media briefing that Taiwan's drone output value increased 2.5 times last year, reaching NT$12.9 billion (US$408.44 million) under a government initiative to advance the unmanned vehicle sector. The current production capacity stands at approximately 15,000 units per month, but the industry is prepared to scale up rapidly in response to rising demand, with expectations to surpass 100,000 units monthly by 2030 to achieve economies of scale.

Despite being primarily driven by domestic demand, Taiwan's drone industry is dominated by commercially produced military-grade products. Presently, exports make up a little over 20 percent of the output, with the Czech Republic, Poland, and the United States being the leading importers. In the first four months of the year, drone exports amounted to US$147 million. By 2030, it is projected that exports will account for more than 50 percent of Taiwan's total drone production.

Chiou noted that Taiwan's drone exports totaled US$93 million in 2025, as reported during a weekly Cabinet press briefing on April 30. He contrasted Taiwan's position with that of China, highlighting that Chinese consumer-grade drones benefit from a cost advantage due to large-scale production. However, for commercial military-grade drones, where specific capabilities like anti-jamming, autonomous flight, and reliability are crucial, Taiwan holds a competitive edge due to a narrower price gap.

Chiou also discussed the XPONENTIAL 2026 unmanned systems exhibition recently held in Detroit, which showcased finished products and key components. The event attracted companies from the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Turkey, leading to preliminary business opportunities worth around NT$1.3 billion in areas including optical modules, systems, and thermal imaging. During the exhibition, Taiwan secured memorandums of understanding with the Michigan Drone Association and the North Dakota Trade Office, emphasizing collaboration in autonomous flight, urban air mobility, and shared test facilities to enhance testing and certification resources for Taiwanese firms.