Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) conducted a flight test on August 11, 2026, using its AIxVNAV visual navigation positioning system at the 2026 Presidential Cup Drone Competition arena alongside partner company Vantor. Under GPS-denied testing conditions, the drone completed an autonomous flight mission covering approximately two kilometers.
The AIxVNAV system incorporates Raptor Guide visual positioning technology V1.0, upgraded and tuned by U.S. geospatial intelligence firm Vantor, with full system integration performed by AIDC. The technology uses airborne cameras to capture ground imagery and compares it against a 3D database to determine position, enabling autonomous navigation when GPS signals are denied or unreliable.
The 2026 Presidential Cup Drone Competition was ordered by President Lai Ching-te to test high-precision targeting, autonomous navigation, and AI recognition in complex environments. Serving as an assisting partner, AIDC utilized the arena for flight validation to verify system repeatability and support practical operational deployment.
