Taiwan is set to reclassify small drones as “consumables” rather than durable assets like aircraft, aiming to accelerate procurement and military deployment.
The policy mirrors a recent US decision that categorized drones weighing up to 55 pounds in Group 1 and Group 2 as akin to ammunition, granting lower-level commanders direct procurement authority, Focus Taiwan reported.
Since only about 10 percent of small drones hit their targets, effectiveness depends on large-scale deployment, explained Su Tzu-yun, Director of the National Defense and Security Research Division. He added that the reclassification will not only guarantee supply but also strengthen ties with domestic drone makers.
Taiwan’s Growing Drone Fleet
Drawing lessons from the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Taiwan has been accelerating drone development as part of its asymmetric defense strategy against a potential Chinese invasion.
Taipei plans to field 48,750 domestically produced drones by 2027 and has already begun incorporating drone training for its troops.
This month, Taiwan received its first batch of Altius loitering munitions from US-based Anduril and introduced two indigenous designs: a bomb-dropping UAV and a catapult-launched kamikaze drone.
