Taiwan's government is moving to fund military drones through the regular budget after opposition parties blocked a special defense bill, a sign that spending will go ahead either way.

• The DPP caucus says it will support an extra drone budget request from the Cabinet.
• Opposition parties cut drone money from a proposed eight-year, NT$1.25 trillion special defense bill.
• The argument: blocking the bill does not remove the threat from China, so the money has to come from somewhere.
• Next year's drone needs are put at over NT$40 billion, versus about NT$13.8 billion already planned.
• Drone makers want the military to open test sites, set up a contact point for motor supply chains, and share technology.

Outlook: Taiwan looks set to fund drones through annual budgets instead of a special bill, with the drone industry pitched as the island's next trillion-dollar sector.