Danish media outlet Berlingske this week reported on the development of Taiwan’s drone industry, highlighting a sharp increase in exports to Europe and deepening discussions on supply chain cooperation between Taiwan and Ukraine. The report cites analysis from Ting-Wei Lin, Non-Resident Fellow in the National Security Program at the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET).
Titled “Iran’s Drone Tactics Shake Taiwan: New Data Reveal Explosive Growth in Exports via Europe,” the article follows a recent forum hosted by Legislator Kuan-Ting Chen’s office, “Democratic Resilience Under Hybrid Threats: Lessons from Ukraine and Taiwan.” The report draws on remarks from multiple participants, underscoring the strategic importance of drone industry cooperation among Taiwan, Europe, and Ukraine.
The article notes that several Taiwanese firms—including Tron Future, Thunder Tiger, and Carbon-Based Technologies (CBT)—have actively expanded exports of drones and counter-drone systems to international markets, aiming to build “non-red” supply chains. Citing DSET data, the report highlights significant growth in Taiwan’s drone exports: approximately 122,000 units were exported in 2025, while exports in the first two months of 2026 alone reached 85,500 units. A majority of these shipments were routed through the Czech Republic and Poland before reaching Ukraine.
Despite the surge in exports, Berlingske also points to structural challenges facing Taiwan’s drone industry. Domestic political divisions over defense spending may affect the pace of industrial and military development. In addition, Taiwan continues to face institutional constraints in exporting defense-related technologies to Europe, as most countries do not formally recognize Taiwan.
Lin noted that many of these exports are currently classified as civilian drones. “These systems can be fitted with different payloads after delivery,” he said, implying that such platforms may be adapted for military use once they reach Europe or Ukraine.
The report also cites remarks by Illia Hraiznov, a representative of the Ukrainian military, who addressed the forum in Taipei. He emphasized the importance of training and integration across unmanned systems: “It is not as simple as purchasing equipment. You need a complete kill chain. You have 45 seconds to respond to an attack. Dedicated training centers must be established now—this is ammunition, not just infantry training.”
DSET’s National Security Program is expected to publish two reports in April: “Taiwan–Ukraine Drone Cooperation,”authored by analyst Samara Duerr, and “Taiwan–Europe Drone Cooperation,” authored by Ting-Wei Lin. The reports will further assess current cooperation models and offer policy recommendations for governments.
