Taiwan tests autonomous drone swarms for maritime surveillance against China’s grey-zone tactics
Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council is developing an autonomous drone system to counter China’s grey-zone military activities in its waters. The project, led with National Cheng Kung University, has already completed flight simulations of two coordinated fleets, each with 10 drones. These simulations mark the second phase, shifting from individual drone control to multi-drone coordination, with a…
Key points
- Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council and National Cheng Kung University completed flight simulations of two coordinated drone fleets, each with 10 units
- Next phase includes hardware testing and flight trials over real maritime areas to test reliability in varying conditions
- System will use mixed drone types, including the U.S.-made V-BAT VTOL drone, for extended surveillance missions
The next phase involves hardware-in-the-loop testing and flight trials over real maritime areas to assess reliability under varying sea and weather conditions. The drones are programmed for 3D separation, leader-follower formations, and dynamic obstacle avoidance. The system will enable mixed drone fleets—including the recently acquired U.S.-made V-BAT VTOL drone—to coordinate tasks and routes. The V-BAT, with over 12 hours of endurance, is designed for deployment from non-carrier ships without major modifications.
Taiwan working on autonomous drone swarms to counter China’s increasingly aggressive grey-zone military tactics — island has already completed flight simulations, now working towards flight trials over maritime areas
Tom's Hardware · 28 October 2026
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