Taiwan Pavilion at US Drone Expo, Largest to Date, Secures NT$1.3 Billion in Potential Business

Taiwan's drone industry continues to expand its market through international exhibitions. The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated today that at the XPONENTIAL drone exhibition in Detroit, USA, the Taiwan Pavilion was its largest ever, with 35 companies and 130 representatives from industry, government, academia, and research participating, generating an estimated NT$1.3 billion in potential business opportunities.

Among the participants, Thunder Tiger Technology achieved a significant procurement result with the U.S. defense system during the exhibition, securing a first-phase order for 1,520 drones valued at approximately US$7.6 million. The products will begin mass production in the United States, strengthening the non-red supply chain layout.

This year's XPONENTIAL "International Unmanned Vehicle Systems Exhibition" was held in Detroit, USA, from the 11th to the 14th.

Chiu Chyou-huey, Director-General of the Industrial Development Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, stated during a media exchange today that in addition to showcasing complete drone systems and key components, the exhibition also attracted companies from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and other countries for partnership discussions. Initial estimates place the cumulative potential business at approximately NT$1.3 billion, with cooperation areas covering optical modules, complete systems, and thermal imaging.

Chiu pointed out that Thunder Tiger Technology is the first drone manufacturer in Asia to obtain the U.S. Blue UAS certification and has officially entered the U.S. defense supply chain. The results from this exhibition show its further entry into the U.S. defense application market, which is "a major breakthrough." It also reflects that Taiwan's drone industry has considerable competitiveness and development momentum in terms of technical strength, supply chain integration, and international deployment.

Chiu stated that during the exhibition, Taiwan also signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with the Michigan Drone Alliance and the North Dakota Trade Office, focusing on autonomous flight, urban air mobility applications, and the sharing of flight test site resources to help Taiwanese companies obtain a more complete validation environment.

Furthermore, regarding the promotion of Taiwan's drone industry development, Chiu said that R&D subsidies have been provided through the Industrial Innovation Platform to assist companies in developing complete systems, the six major modules, and key technologies. Between 2024 and 2025, 31 projects have been approved, covering key modules such as communication, payload, flight control, and ground communication, as well as application software technologies like AI-powered autonomous recognition.

In the domestic market, Chiu said that by coordinating with the needs released by the Ministry of National Defense, the industry is assisted in conducting practical validation and "training." In 2024, the procurement of six types of military-grade commercial drones for the Ministry of National Defense was completed, with a total value of NT$6.887 billion. Four companies, including T-Core, Evergreen Aviation Technologies, GEOSAT, and MiTAC, were selected, and over 3,000 drones have been delivered to date.

The Industrial Development Administration stated that in the future, Taiwan will continue to leverage its industrial advantages in information and communications technology, precision machinery, and semiconductors to enhance the self-sufficiency of key technologies, international validation, and supply chain integration capabilities. By deepening cooperation with countries such as the U.S., Europe, and Japan, it will assist domestic companies in expanding into the global market, gradually establishing Taiwan as a key partner in the global non-red drone supply chain.