Taiwan's UAV Development Plan Faces Budget Cut Push by Opposition

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party government’s six‑year, NT$44.2 billion unmanned‑vehicle industry development plan is under threat after the Kuomintang (KMT) legislative caucus called for the suspension of the programme and the removal of this year’s budget allocation. The KMT argues the plan violates legal procedures and is filled with padding, proposing instead a dedicated UAV law.

The Ministry of the Interior emphasised that the drones are essential for disaster response, land‑monitoring, public safety and the training of UAV operators, noting that the plan includes the procurement of 636 aircraft and a 2023 allocation of NT$1.85 billion for 327 drones. Cutting the funding, officials warn, would force frontline responders to work under higher risk and jeopardise ongoing training and technology deployment.

Economy Minister Gong Ming‑xin warned that eliminating the current year’s budget would be “like cutting both arms,” recalling a previous defence‑budget cut that removed one arm of the programme. The plan aims to position Taiwan as an Asia‑Pacific hub for UAV supply chains and to generate more than NT$400 billion in industry value by 2030.