The Taiwan Typhoon and Flood Research Institute on Wednesday unveiled its Small Uncrewed Aircraft System to be used in the institute’s typhoon research program later this year.
The institute displayed one of its six uncrewed aerial vehicles purchased from Australia in 2015 at prices varying between NT$2.6 million and NT$4 million (US$81,812 and US$125,865) depending on engine variants.
With a maximum continuous flying time of 10 to 18 hours, the drones are equipped with sensors to detect temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed and direction.
Photo: CNA
The aircraft, designed to meet the demands of the institute, are to help researchers better track and analyze typhoon activity near Taiwan.
The system can also be equipped with a variety of specific payloads, including infrared, high-definition survey, mapping and meteorology equipment.
“The drone had a trial run during Typhoon Nepartak last year and the information it collected has proven invaluable to our team,” institute assistant technician Chung Chi-jun (鍾吉俊) said at an expo at the National Taiwan University Hospital International Convention Center.
Australia has been working on the application of uncrewed aircraft for meteorological use for several decades, but Taiwan became the first nation to customize the aircraft for typhoon research, Chung said.
“We carried out our first test research with an uncrewed aircraft in 2005, but the project was later scrapped because of strict air traffic controls imposed in the aftermath of global terrorism,” he said.
Wednesday’s unveiling also marked the beginning of the institute’s plan to adopt the drones for typhoon research.
“The only problem is our restricted airspace,” Chung said, adding that the institution is in talks with Japan and the Philippines to use their airspace for typhoon research.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it