DSET Contributes Op-Eds to CommonWealth and The Diplomat Analyzing Taiwan’s Latest Drone Cooperation with Europe and the U.S.

The Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET)’s National Security Program this week released two op-eds analyzing Taiwan’s growing cooperation with the United States and European countries in the field of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), following the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) held in September. The articles were published respectively on CommonWealth Magazine’s English platform and The Diplomat.

Taiwan–Europe Drone Cooperation: Opportunities and Gaps

In the CommonWealth Magazine English edition op-ed titled “Taiwan–Europe Non-China Drone Partnership Surges, Yet Gaps Remain”, Hong-Lun Tiunn, Deputy Director of DSET’s National Security Program, and Ting-Wei Lin, Non-Resident Fellow, analyzed the rapid rise in Taiwan–Europe drone collaboration. The authors noted that Taiwan’s drone exports to Europe grew more than sevenfold in 2025 — from roughly 3,000 units in 2024 to over 26,000 units by July 2025. However, despite this significant increase, European drone strategies have yet to emphasize the integration of Indo-Pacific supply chains, limiting long-term partnership potential.

The article highlights that demand for low-cost drones has surged amid the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, with Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic becoming Taiwan’s primary export destinations. According to Taiwan’s Customs Administration data, 26,000 drones were exported to Europe in the first seven months of 2025, a 7.5-fold increase year-on-year. Poland alone accounted for two-thirds of this total, importing 5,603 units in July 2025. Most exports consist of light drones under 7 kilograms, mainly used for reconnaissance and light payload transport—meeting urgent battlefield needs. Yet, many of these exports are routed privately to Ukraine rather than through institutional European procurement frameworks.

By comparison, the authors observed that Taiwan–U.S. cooperation is more structured. Since 2023, the U.S. has advanced programs such as “Replicator” and “Hellscape”, and in 2024 included Taiwan in the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR). The “Blue UAS” certification mechanism has further enabled Taiwanese drones to enter U.S. defense and public safety procurement systems.

In contrast, the European Union’s European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS), introduced in 2024, proposed a “European Trusted Drones” label and a “UAV Technology Roadmap,” but both remain at the pilot stage. Meanwhile, the European Defence Fund (EDF) still restricts participation from non-EU entities, limiting Taiwanese firms’ access to funding.

DSET argues that if Europe seeks to truly “de-risk” from Chinese supply chains, it should establish cross-border certification and institutional procurement mechanisms that allow trusted partners such as Taiwan to participate. Expanding cooperation in subsystem development, standards setting, and regulatory alignment would help transform short-term exports into long-term strategic partnerships, strengthening both security and supply chain resilience.

Taiwan–U.S. Drone Cooperation: From Sales to Strategic Co-Production

In The Diplomat, Hong-Lun Tiunn, Deputy Director of DSET’s National Security Program, and Fanny Chao, Non-Resident Fellow, authored an article titled “The Future of Taiwan-U.S. Drone Cooperation”, examining the rapid progress of bilateral collaboration in drone sales, subsystem integration, and industrial matchmaking — with many of these achievements showcased at this year’s Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition.

According to official data, Taiwan’s drone exports to the United States have surged to a record high. As of July 2025, Taiwan exported 5,017 drones to the U.S., nearly six times the total volume for all of 2024. Notably, Taiwanese manufacturer Thunder Tiger Corporation recently became the first company from Taiwan to be included in the U.S. Department of Defense’s “Blue UAS Cleared List.”

However, DSET cautions that while the Trump administration’s new executive orders and the Department of War’s (formerly Department of Defense) “de-Sinicization” supply chain initiatives open new opportunities for Taiwan, the “Buy American” emphasis could also pose challenges for Taiwanese firms seeking access to U.S. procurement channels.

The analysis notes that several bills under review in the U.S. Congress — including provisions supporting U.S.–Taiwan drone co-production — could serve as key mechanisms to deepen long-term cooperation once enacted.

DSET’s commentaries conclude that Taiwan’s partnerships with both the United States and Europe reflect the island’s emerging role in global drone innovation and supply chain security. Institutionalized cooperation frameworks and mutual certification mechanisms will be critical to ensuring that Taiwan and its democratic partners can sustain momentum in defense technology and safeguard collective resilience.