The North America Taiwan UAV Association (NATUAVA) and Xinlefei UAV Company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on September 18, 2026 at the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi County, witnessed by Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Zhangliang. The partnership aims to sell Taiwan-manufactured non-red supply chain drones to the United States, creating a new chapter for Taiwan-US drone industry cooperation.
NATUAVA President Chen Shixiu stated that amid global geopolitical shifts and the "de-red supply chain" trend, Taiwan's drone industry faces a crucial strategic turning point. He noted that US government agencies, to prevent technology infiltration and sensitive information leakage, have required adoption of non-red supply chains and are gradually replacing existing drone systems supplied by Chinese vendors, which presents a prime opportunity for Taiwan drones to enter the US market.
Magistrate Weng Zhangliang remarked during the signing ceremony that Taiwan possesses strong capabilities in medium and small drone manufacturing, while the US excels in large drones. He observed that internationally, mention of non-red supply chain drones now brings Taiwan to mind, with countries actively establishing non-red supply chain linkages; drones have future potential and will become a key industry for Taiwan.
Xinlefei CEO Xu Xinsheng emphasized that drones are no longer mere flying vehicles but "airborne edge computing platforms" integrating AI computing, communication encryption, sensors, and precision control. He added that with government support, Taiwan's drone industry has matured in flight control, engine and other critical technologies, achieving self-production, and that Taiwanese manufacturers' strong customization capabilities give him high confidence in penetrating the US market.
NATUAVA further pointed out that the US is actively promoting "re-industrialization" and rebuilding domestic defense and commercial drone production capacity, but faces challenges of local supply chain gaps and insufficient system integration efficiency. This alliance is described not only as commercial cooperation expansion but also as "technology and industry docking."
