Taiwan students design drones for mock battle as China threat looms: Video

Under heightened pressure from Beijing, Taiwan is ramping up its domestic production of drones, recognising their potential in a more agile and resilient defence strategy.

The competition, organised by National Cheng Kung University, gives students the opportunity to innovate and develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for simulated battle conditions. The students' designs are tested for performance in takeoffs, landings, and challenging navigation scenarios, with some drones inevitably crashing.

A professor in the university’s space systems engineering department and the event organiser, Jan Shau-Shiun, emphasised the relevance of drone technology in modern warfare, referencing lessons learned from recent conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.

“From observing conflicts, we see that there’s often interference with the GNSS [Global Navigation Satellite System] before any fighting begins. When GNSS is blocked, how can the drone continue to operate? That’s the theme we developed for this competition," Jan explained.

With support from Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan has invested resources into drone technology, focusing on strengthening domestic capabilities to fill the growing demand for UAVs.

Graduate student Willy Huang, specialising in aerospace engineering, pointed to the technical challenges in developing effective drones. “The hardest part is working with provided components. You may not even know how the programming logic works,” Huang said, describing the complexities involved in decoding manufacturers’ technology to integrate with Taiwan’s systems. 

Associate Professor Yeh Szu-I from the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics noted the advantages of fixed-wing drones, which have greater wind resistance and stability compared to multi-rotor drones. “For future applications, this form of drone could be vital for reconnaissance and rescue missions,” Yeh told the AFP.

Differences over Taiwan's status have fuelled rising tensions between the island and the mainland. The ongoing dispute has led to heightened military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait, which geographically separates mainland China from the island of Taiwan.