The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday said it is working with the private sector to develop uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) for military use with the aim of building a drone fleet next year.
Chi Li-pin (齊立平), head of the institute’s Aeronautical Systems Research Division, said the goal is to build prototypes of five kinds of commercial drones customized for military purposes: carrier-launched drones, land-based surveillance drones, other surveillance drones, miniature drones and drones with target-acquisition capabilities.
The reason for using commercial platforms is to have them available for basic non-combat surveillance more quickly, Chi said.
Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency
Developing military-grade UAVs is a lengthy process that can take four to five years due to the military’s requirements, but commercial-grade drones can pass tests and be ready for military surveillance missions in about a year, he said.
The prototypes are expected to be delivered to the institute by July 31, as scheduled, he added.
The institute would be responsible for testing the drones and helping private manufacturers navigate the process, Chi said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
Mass production could begin as soon as next year, once the drones pass the required tests, he said.
To ensure national security, the institute has required the partner companies to prove that they are not funded by firms based in China and that they do not have shares in China-based enterprises, Chi said.
They also pledged not to use products or components manufactured in China or by Chinese firms, he said.
Separately, a senior official familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that the institute is ramping up efforts to produce missiles with the goal of reaching maximum production volume no later than the end of next year.
This year’s production target of 1,000 missiles of all types represents a substantial increase over the 800 missiles produced last year, they said, adding that the institute’s 16 missile assembly lines are fully operational.
The missile assembly lines used to be semi-manual, which was a significant constraint on mass production, but the situation has improved following the opening of new factories, they added.
Additional reporting by Lo Tien-pin
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