Taiwan Seals Deal With US-German Firm For Combat-Tested Drone Software

Taiwan has signed a partnership with US- and Germany-based Auterion to use drone software that has been tested in the war in Ukraine, bolstering its defenses against mounting military threats from China, Reuters reporters Ann Wang and Ben Blanchard wrote.

Auterion said it has agreed to a long-term strategic partnership with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to collaborate on uncrewed systems and swarming drone software. I Photo: Auterion

Auterion’s technology has been deployed in Ukrainian drones used in combat missions against Russia. The deal may eventually lead to the integration of the software in millions of drones for Taiwan.

China, which claims the self-governed island as its own, has significantly increased its military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, staging multiple rounds of large-scale war games.

Taiwan’s government continues to reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Taiwan has closely studied Ukraine’s drone tactics—both aerial and maritime—as a model for offsetting a numerically superior adversary.

Auterion said it has agreed to a long-term strategic partnership with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to collaborate on uncrewed systems and swarming drone software.

“What we're bringing to the table has been combat-proven in Ukraine to deter aggression and destroy tanks, naval assets, and other expensive equipment,” said Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier.

“By building a large autonomous fleet, Taiwan can deter China.” He added that the partnership is expected to result in “millions of drones over multiple years and hundreds of millions of dollars in value.”