Carbon-Based Technology showcases its military drones. (CAN photo)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung-based Carbon-Based Technology is eyeing growth in its military drone business amid rising demand for China-free UAV supply chains, as it shifts from a limited market presence to increasing overseas orders, CNA reported.
Company Chair Chen Wen-hung (陳文宏) said the firm has been engaged in military drone development for 19 years. He said government support for the domestic drone sector and rising global demand linked to the Russia-Ukraine war have significantly increased the company’s overseas orders.
Many of the company’s employees previously worked at Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, some of whom participated in Taiwan’s military drone development programs. Chen said the company is capable of handling airframe design, materials manufacturing, and final assembly.
CEO Yu Pei-wen (游沛文) said large military drone airframes must be held in place with special equipment during layering and pressing, a process that relies heavily on engineers’ experience and is difficult to automate. She added that orders for the company’s tailless delta-wing drones, designed for long-range reconnaissance and strike missions, have reached about 1,000 units per month.
To achieve a lighter design, Yu said the company’s drone airframes are built without rivets. She added that it has also integrated carbon-fiber technology into drone composite materials, providing high strength, flexibility, and heat resistance.
Chen said the company focuses on medium and large military drones, first-person-view small drones, and unmanned surface vehicles to secure more military orders. Its USV Explorer 1, made from aerospace-grade carbon fiber and coated with stealth paint, was showcased at a demonstration event hosted by NCSIST in June 2025.
The company’s overseas clients come from Japan and Southeast Asian countries, with orders exceeding 1,000 units per shipment, Chen said. He is optimistic about the Southeast Asian market, noting its strong interest in the company’s products.
Some Southeast Asian countries are archipelagos, where logistics, offshore supply, and maritime patrol operations could benefit from unmanned systems. Chen added that the company aims to expand its drone and USV presence in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Taiwanese drone makers have been working to reduce manufacturing costs and strengthen competitiveness against China, the company said. Some firms are also developing motors, imaging technology, and automation control chips to narrow Taiwan’s UAV technology gap.
Chen urged domestic drone makers, most of which are small and medium-sized enterprises, to boost cooperation to cut costs and support drone research and development, testing, and participation in overseas exhibitions.
The company’s Marlin J6 and Marlin S6 USVs are being co-produced with Taiwanese startup JetSea AI and US manufacturers. Chen said the strategy shows the need for Taiwan’s drone sector to strengthen cooperation with domestic and international partners to boost its global presence.
