# Taiwan tests autonomous drone swarms for maritime surveillance against China’s grey-zone tactics

Digest AI · Robotics & Physical AI · published 2026-10-28T11:30:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/taiwan-tests-autonomous-drone-swarms-for-maritime-surveillance-against

## Summary

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 focus on maritime surveillance and defense of undersea cables—some of which have been damaged by Chinese vessels in past incidents.

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.

## 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

## Why it matters

Autonomous drone swarms could deter China’s grey-zone tactics by enabling real-time maritime surveillance and rapid response without human intervention, reducing reliance on undersea cables vulnerable to sabotage.

## Sources

1. [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](https://tomshardware.com/tech-industry/drones/taiwan-working-on-autonomous-drone-swarms-to-counter-chinas-increasingly-aggressive-grey-zone-military-tactics-island-has-already-completed-flight-simulations-now-working-towards-flight-trials-over-maritime-areas) (Tom's Hardware, 2026-10-28)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Taiwan tests autonomous drone swarms for maritime surveillance against China’s grey-zone tactics", 28 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/taiwan-tests-autonomous-drone-swarms-for-maritime-surveillance-against

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