Taiwan is setting up a government drone testing lab in Taichung, good news for local drone makers trying to sell to buyers outside China.

• The lab will go up in southern Taichung, built in stages over three years and opening in 2029.
• It will test small drones under 25 kilograms for swarm flying, obstacle avoidance, and satellite links.
• The goal is certification that meets international standards, so Taiwanese drones can be sold abroad.
• Taichung was picked because it already has a cluster of precision machinery and aerospace suppliers.
• The bigger aim is a "non-red" supply chain — drone parts and assembly that avoid Chinese components.

Outlook: Expect Taiwan to keep pushing defense-linked drone manufacturing as demand grows for alternatives to Chinese-made hardware.