Taiwan breaks ground on NT$6.9 billion drone park designed to shut out Chinese parts
The Minxiong complex pairs military drone development with a supply chain free of Chinese components that Taiwan wants to sell to democratic buyers.
The Minxiong complex pairs military drone development with a supply chain free of Chinese components that Taiwan wants to sell to democratic buyers.
President Lai Ching-te opened the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's Minxiong campus in Chiayi County on Sept. 28 and broke ground on an adjacent aerospace and drone industrial park. Defense Minister Wellington Koo attended the ceremony.
The NT$1.1 billion (US$34.6 million) campus includes a hangar, laboratories and an R&D building, and it will handle research, testing, verification and production of military-grade drones, Lai said, according to Taiwan News. Its facilities cover propulsion research, structural analysis, weather-resistance trials and full-aircraft testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What opened in Chiayi on Sept. 28?
NCSIST's Minxiong campus, a NT$1.1 billion drone research, testing and production site, opened, and work began on the adjacent NT$6.9 billion Minxiong Aerospace and UAV Industrial Park, per Taiwan News.
What is a "non-red supply chain"?
It is Taiwan's term for components and systems that do not come from China. NCSIST describes building one as the park's goal, according to Defence Blog.
When will the industrial park be finished and how big will it be?
Completion is scheduled for 2028. NCSIST projects about 100 companies, 1,200 jobs and NT$8 billion in annual output, per United Daily News.
How large is Taiwan's drone industry now?
Output reached NT$12.9 billion in 2025, more than 2.5 times the 2024 level, with more than 267 firms involved, President Lai said.
What funding is still pending?
Lai asked the legislature to approve a defense ministry supplemental of nearly NT$60 billion that would buy drones from domestic makers, per Taiwan News.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.