Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC, 2634) showcased its in-house drone development and international partnerships at the 2026 Taichung AI Applications and Smart Manufacturing Expo, where Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and industry representatives visited the display. AIDC Chairman Tsao Chin-ping briefed attendees on the company’s latest defense technology progress.
AIDC President Chuang Hsiu-mei said that with support from the defense budget and an ongoing supply-chain restructuring, 2027 will be the starting year for drones, adding that the company’s self-developed products and countermeasure systems could begin contributing revenue at that point.
Black Wing X makes its first public appearance
The company’s Black Wing X prototype was presented as a highly mobile loitering strike platform with a 100-kilometer precision strike capability. AIDC said it is built to search, identify and strike moving targets on land and at sea.
The system uses catapult launch for rapid deployment and combines AI-assisted target recognition with autonomous flight technology. For GPS-denied conditions, AIDC said it paired its own flight science experience with Raptor Guide, a visual navigation software product from U.S. company Vantor, to develop AIxVNAV, a visual navigation and positioning system for drones. The setup uses onboard cameras and AI-based terrain map matching for precise positioning. AIDC said the technology has completed live-flight verification at a Presidential Cup competition site.
Counter-drone system targets aerial threats
AIDC also introduced its UAV Countermeasure System for aerial threats. The system combines active radar, radio-frequency detection, optical and infrared sensing modules (EO / IR), jammers and a command-and-control system.
According to the company, it can obtain a target’s altitude, speed and operator location in real time, then respond based on threat level with soft-kill jamming and dispersal measures or laser-based hard-kill interception. AIDC said the equipment has already been used to protect critical infrastructure including power plants, ports and airports, and has supported security drills for the Ministry of Justice’s Agency of Corrections.
Shield AI partnership has secured a NT$1.2 billion contract
AIDC said it had previously teamed up with U.S. company Shield AI on the V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing drone and has won a shipborne drone procurement contract from the Coast Guard Administration worth about NT$1.2 billion. Deliveries are expected to start by the end of this year.
International manufacturing ties and certification plans
On cross-border industrial cooperation, AIDC displayed a model of the Spearhead drone from France-based I-SEE, presenting it as part of its international contract manufacturing work. The company said that production experience will also be extended to support domestic firms including Smart Flying Technology.
For its overseas footprint, Chuang said AIDC plans to reserve drone production space at its site in Phoenix, Arizona, to meet future local manufacturing needs from U.S. customers.
In cybersecurity and compliance, AIDC said it expects to pass the Green UAS certification promoted by the Industrial Technology Research Institute before the end of this year. It then plans to pursue Blue UAS certification as it seeks a place in the global non-China supply chain for military and government drones.