Taiwan’s drone policy and industrial development have recently become a focus of international attention. Major outlets including Deutsche Welle, 9DASHLINE, and the global aviation industry media Aviation Week have reported on Taiwan’s significant expansion of domestic drone procurement and a surge in drone exports. The National Security Program of the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET) was interviewed to provide expert commentary on these developments.
In a televised interview with Deutsche Welle, Cathay Fang, DSET Policy Analyst of National Security Program, emphasized that as an island nation, Taiwan must establish self-sufficient domestic industrial and military supply chains to withstand potential blockades or wartime scenarios.
In the 9DASHLINE article, it highlighted that Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense recently announced plans to procure 48,750 domestically produced drones over the next two years—a fourteenfold increase compared to 2023 and the largest drone procurement in Taiwan’s history. Fang noted that this decision is closely linked to lessons from the war in Ukraine, which underscores the critical role drones play in asymmetric warfare. Taiwan’s government has taken note of these lessons and is acting decisively.
This procurement initiative not only enhances Taiwan’s military capabilities but also carries long-term industrial significance. The government requires that all drones be built and assembled domestically, bans the use of Chinese components, and prioritizes locally produced parts. While Taiwanese drone manufacturers have long had sufficient mass production capacity, they lacked stable demand. This large and predictable order gives companies the confidence to expand production lines and invest in R&D, driving overall industry development and gradually building a fully self-reliant defense ecosystem.
Aviation Week reported that Taiwan’s drone exports surged by 749% in the first half of 2025, reaching $11.9 million. Poland accounted for more than half of the total, becoming Taiwan’s largest export destination since surpassing the United States in late 2024. Poland’s Ministry of National Defense recently announced plans to invest PLN 200 million ($53 million) in drone procurement and procurement system reforms, with the Deputy Defense Minister calling it a “drone revolution.”
Fang explained that Poland’s strong demand is driven by two main factors: deepening cooperation between Taiwanese and Polish firms in the drone supply chain, including co-production of semiconductors and engines; and Poland’s proximity to Ukraine, where its role as a wartime logistics hub suggests that some of these exports may be intended to meet battlefield needs.
