The government should address a lack of information security safety measures covering uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and clarify powers and responsibilities for government agencies managing such devices, the Control Yuan said in a report passed by its Committee on Transportation and Procurement Affairs on Tuesday.
Control Yuan member Chang Chu-fang (張菊芳) and others headed a task force to look into the allegation that drones used in the Double Ten National Day celebrations in 2022 contained Chinese-made chips, the report said.
There is an urgent need to establish certification for general information security or other risk management measures, it added.
Photo courtesy of the Chiayi County Government via CNA
Drones used in the 2022 event did not use chips manufactured in China, it said, but added that further investigation by the Ministry of Digital Affairs showed other models on the market did.
The controversy highlights the lack of a legislative basis to manage information security risks, measures to ensure drones meet standards and other measures in light of a burgeoning UAV market and the diversification of their use, the report said.
Government procurement regulations are lacking, management protocols are unorganized and the government has not implemented or even developed a serial number system for imported drones, it said.
Regulations and preliminary information security measures were not discussed until November 2022 in preparation for the nine-in-one elections, the report said.
The discussion made it clear that the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications were unclear on matters of jurisdiction and delineation of powers and responsibilities, it added.
The National Palace Museum — which was in charge of procurement of the drones for the 2022 event — should mull over how to improve its processes, the report said.
Had the museum followed the Public Construction Commission’s procurement regulations, the risk of buying drones with Chinese-manufactured chips would have been decreased, it said.
The Civil Aviation Administration should consider stepping up efforts to obtain technology that would allow the registration of radio frequency identification data, the report said.
The Executive Yuan yesterday said that it would look into reviews and options to ameliorate the situation.
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