Taiwan to Classify Small Drones as ‘Consumables’ for Faster Access
Taiwan is planning to recategorize small drones as “consumables” instead of durable property like aircraft to speed up procurement and military access.
The move is patterned after a US policy announced in July that classified small drones weighing up to 55 pounds (24.9 kilograms) under Group 1 and Group 2 categories as similar to ammunition, and allowed low-level commanders to directly procure and authorize them for use, Focus Taiwan reported.
With just around 10 percent of small uncrewed aerial systems hitting their mark, effectiveness relies on deploying them in large numbers, according to National Defense and Security Research Division Director Su Tzu-yun.
He noted that the move to ensure a steady supply would also foster closer cooperation between the armed forces and private drone manufacturers.
Taiwan’s Drone Arsenal
Taiwan has been taking lessons from drone warfare in Ukraine in preparation for a potential Chinese invasion.
With Beijing not ruling out the use of force to annex the self-governed island, Taipei has been ramping up defense capabilities, which include expediting drone acquisition.
The country intends to boost asymmetric defense capabilities by procuring 48,750 domestically produced drones by 2027 and incorporating drone operations into its soldier training program.
This month, it received its first batch of Altius loitering munitions from Anduril and unveiled two homegrown drones, comprising a bomb-dropping uncrewed aerial vehicle and a catapult-launched kamikaze drone.
