According to Focus Taiwan, a leading Taiwanese research institute signed a contract with an U.S. organization on June 4 to provide global standard certification for drones and related technology on the island.
Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) signed a Green UAS authorized assessment and service agreement with the U.S. Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) on Thursday under which ITRI will serve as an AUVSI-recognized third-party assessment organization in Taiwan.
ITRI is Taiwan’s leading research organization with a major contribution to the development of its semiconductor leadership–making Taiwan a global technology powerhouse while AUVSI is a leading American organization involved in the development, deployment and regulations linked to drones, robotics and related sectors.
Green UAS (Unmanned aircraft system) is a certification framework that evaluates drones for cybersecurity, supply-chain integrity, NDAA compliance, product security, operational safety and connectivity risks, according to the AUVSI website.
Taiwan receives AUVSI’s first overseas assessment accreditation
ITRI said in a statement that the Green UAS program is an important drone supply-chain verification mechanism promoted by the United States in recent years. The system focuses on cybersecurity, supply-chain transparency, and trustworthiness of products, and has gradually become an important benchmark and cooperation standard in the international market.
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In January this year, AUVSI and ITRI signed a cooperation agreement in Washington, D.C. under which ITRI specializes in cybersecurity testing and technical evaluations and has expanded penetration-testing support in Taiwan. Authorized cybersecurity personnel actively attempt to breach systems in order to identify security vulnerabilities.
ITRI stated that this designation makes Taiwan home to the first recognized Green UAS assessment organization outside the United States. The arrangement will help Taiwanese companies obtain certification, facilitate their entry into the U.S. market, promote international certification for Taiwan’s drone industry, and further expand access to global markets.
Government support
Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Chin-tsang stated that the Ministry of Economic Affairs is advancing Taiwan’s drone industry through four major initiatives.
First, Taiwan is strengthening key technologies and enhancing indigenous capabilities. Ho noted that the Executive Yuan last year launched the “Drone Industry Development Infrastructure Action Plan”, under which nearly NT$44.2 billion will be invested between 2025 and 2030 to comprehensively boost research and development capabilities in core modules such as flight control systems, communications, and edge computing.
Second, Taiwan is establishing testing environments to accelerate real-world deployment and validation. The government is actively promoting public-sector facilities as demonstration sites for drone applications, allowing companies to conduct testing in real operating environments. Ho said that more than 50 companies have already moved into the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi, which has become a key hub for drone innovation and industry clustering.
Third, Taiwan is cultivating cross-disciplinary talent to overcome development bottlenecks. Ho said the government will work with universities, colleges, and vocational training institutions to build a talent pipeline for the drone industry and address workforce shortages.
Fourth, Taiwan is strengthening ties with international partners and deepening supply-chain cooperation among democratic partners. Ho stated that through the Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance, Taiwan will continue to enhance government-to-government and business-to-business cooperation frameworks with the United States, Japan, and the European Union, while actively expanding partnerships within democratic supply chains.
Ho emphasized that the launch of the drone assessment organization is not only a technical milestone but also a declaration to the world that Taiwan possesses the capabilities and standards necessary to become a trusted partner in the global supply chain.
Meanwhile, according to Focus Taiwan, Wu Cheng-chung, chairman of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, said that the official launch of the Green UAS assessment organization marks a critical starting point for Taiwan’s drone industry to join the global trusted supply chain.
Wu noted that after obtaining authorization from the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International to conduct Green UAS assessments, ITRI will focus on the principle of local verification aligned with international standards. The institute will help domestic companies complete cybersecurity assessments in accordance with U.S. standards, thereby shortening the time required to enter international markets.
Wu Cheng-chung said that the authorized assessment mechanism will bring three major benefits to the industry: helping companies align with international standards, strengthening the resilience of trusted supply chains, and driving technological upgrades. He said the program will encourage companies to systematically enhance their cybersecurity capabilities and product quality, demonstrating to the world that Taiwan’s drone industry is trustworthy, reliable, and ready for collaboration.
Participants at the launch ceremony included representatives from the Taiwanese government, international organizations, and industry. Attendees included Ho Chin-tsang, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs; Chiu Chiu-hui, Director General of the Industrial Development Administration; Raymond Greene, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan; Michael Robbins, CEO of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International; Wu Cheng-chung, Chairman of the Industrial Technology Research Institute; Chang Pei-jen, President of ITRI; Tsao Chin-ping, Chairman of Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation; as well as representatives from Taiwan’s Drone Diplomacy Task Force, the Taiwan Drone Alliance, the Taiwan Smart Robotics and Automation Association, Thunder Tiger Group, Asia Air, Shenyao Technology, and Coretronic Corporation.
In addition, ITRI and AIDC signed a Green UAS Testing Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement was signed by Chang Chen-yuan, Director of ITRI’s Mechanical and Mechatronics Systems Research Laboratories, and AIDC Chairman Tsao Chin-ping, officially launching cooperation on Green UAS testing and verification.
More than 10 Taiwanese companies receive orders from Anduril
According to a report by SET News, Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs held a Taiwan-U.S. drone cooperation MOU signing ceremony on June 3. The memorandum was signed by Liu Chia-ju, Chairperson of Taiwan’s Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, and Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries, with Industrial Development Administration Director General Chiu Chiu-hui serving as witness.
Going forward, the two sides will focus on key drone technologies and deepen cooperation in areas including AI-enabled autonomous systems, drone manufacturing, supply-chain localization, and the development of non-China supply chains. The partnership aims to further enhance the international collaboration capabilities of Taiwan’s drone industry and strengthen its competitiveness within global supply chains.
The Industrial Development Administration stated that the MOU between the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre and Anduril is intended to promote cooperation in AI-powered drone technologies. Planned areas of collaboration include joint research and development, technology exchanges, manufacturing optimization, and industrial localization. The agreement covers drone-related technology development and manufacturing improvements, AI application technologies, supply-chain integration, localized production, and efforts to strengthen non-China supply chains.
The Industrial Development Administration (IDA) has in recent years continued to promote the integration of Taiwan’s drone industry into international markets. To date, it has helped facilitate prototype development and mass-production orders from Anduril Industries for more than ten Taiwanese companies in areas including drone airframe structures, payload equipment, and propulsion systems.
