《TAIPEI TIMES》 Saudi Arabia Becomes Top Buyer in Taiwan’s Young Drone Industry

/ Bloomberg Saudi Arabia bought a record $47.2 million of drones from Taiwan last month — a sign ...…

President William Lai, center, points to a Taiwan-made drone in an event in Taichung on June 9. Photo: Liao Chia-hui, Taipei Times

Saudi Arabia bought a record $47.2 million of drones from Taiwan last month — a sign the island’s nascent UAV industry is becoming more attractive to buyers.

The figure, released by the Ministry of Finance in Taipei last week, was the most in a month for any nation in data going back to June 2023. The Czech Republic has previously been a major buyer.

It was unclear how Saudi Arabia intended to use the drones, which weighed an average of 7 to 15 kilograms （15.4 to 33.1 pounds）. Unmanned aerial vehicles in that weight category can be used for a range of industrial and military purposes.

Su Tzu-yun, director of the Division of Defense Strategy and Resources at the Institute of National Defense and Security Research in Taipei, said they were mostly likely for reconnaissance.

Taiwan has worked to develop its drone industry since seeing how Ukraine has used the devices to counter Russia.

Taiwan has felt an urgency to develop the sector because China wants to bring the democracy of 23 million people under its control eventually, by force if necessary, and the People’s Liberation Army fields advanced UAV capabilities.

Taiwan’s drone industry is positioning itself as an alternative to China, and has been working with the US on developing UAV tech.