In a small, crowded room in Taipei, Pan Chien-chin is trying to keep a drone hovering steadily. Imagining himself flying a plane, he gently nudges controller joysticks to guide the insect-like device as it hums through the air. Cheers break out as Pan, who has never flown a drone before, steers it around a rectangular course marked by traffic cones without crashing. Around him are about two dozen fellow trainees, all signed up for the same course: Taiwan’s first civil defence drone training programme.
This initiative is a direct response to the war in Ukraine, where drones have played a pivotal role in pushing back the Russian invasion since 2022. The program, launched in May, is a testament to Taiwan's civil defense movement, which is drawing valuable lessons from Ukraine's experience. The program is run by the Kuma Academy, a civil defense NGO, and aims to improve drone literacy among the public in Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy that faces a growing military threat from China.
The number of registered drones in Taiwan surpassed 39,000 in December, according to Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration, which lowered the minimum age for drone registration to 14 in 2024. Some high schools in Taipei have started holding summer camps to teach students how to assemble drones from scratch and use them for search-and-rescue operations. The course helps beginner drone pilots understand the capabilities of drones on the battlefield, and it has emerged as part of a broader effort to improve drone literacy among the public in Taiwan.
The main goal of the course is not to arm civilians, but to empower them with the knowledge to observe risks and share information. This is particularly relevant in a Chinese invasion scenario, where unmanned systems could be crucial for frontline surveillance across the island’s mountainous terrain. In Ukraine, drone pilots fly thousands of attack missions each day, accounting for 60% of Russian casualties.
The drones used in the class are entirely Taiwanese-made, weighing less than 100 grams and lacking GPS or self-driving technology. This design choice is strategic, as operators need to learn how to fly by sight and manual reflexes in modern warfare, as automated commercial drones may fail due to electronic jamming. The program also aligns with Taiwan’s efforts to build a "China-free" global supply chain for unmanned aerial vehicles.
However, a recent defense budget stripped out funding for domestic drone production. Taiwan produces some weapons domestically but remains heavily reliant on US arms sales for major defense systems. The US has yet to sign a $14 billion arms package for the island after a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing last month. This political uncertainty, coupled with domestic divisions, reinforces the desire of Taiwanese citizens like Pan to take part in civil defense activities.
Pan, a food company worker, sees the drone training as a valuable skill, saying, "The war in Ukraine has really changed how drones are used. It’s like giving myself another skill, something I can use if it’s ever needed one day." This sentiment reflects a broader trend of Taiwanese citizens taking proactive steps to prepare for potential threats, despite the complex geopolitical landscape they face.
