Taiwan's drone makers say a rival version of the drone bill would fund purchases one year at a time, which is bad news for a young industry trying to scale up.

• Companies can't borrow to build capacity, because banks won't accept a one-year government order as collateral for a loan.
• Parts suppliers won't invest either — they need three years of visible demand before building certified production lines for motors, flight controls, and airframes.
• That keeps Taiwan dependent on imported drone parts instead of growing a local supply chain.
• Engineers leave within three to six months once orders stop, so firms lose the skills to take on the next contract.
• Going from signed contract to steady mass production takes 18 to 24 months, longer than a single budget cycle.

Outlook: Cross-party talks led by the legislature's speaker are set to take up the competing drone bills, with multi-year special budget funding the central fight.