Taiwanese Citizens Learn Drone Piloting for Defense

In a small, busy room in Taipei, Pan Chien-chin is learning to control a drone. He gently moves the joysticks, guiding the small device through the air. Pan, a 48-year-old food company worker, is one of many people participating in Taiwan’s first civil defense drone training program. As he successfully steers the drone around a set of traffic cones, his classmates cheer. For Pan, this is about preparation. “The war in Ukraine has really changed how drones are used,” he says. “It’s like giving myself another skill, something I can use if it’s ever needed one day.”

The program, which began in May, is part of a growing civil defense movement in Taiwan. According to The Guardian, this movement is heavily inspired by the conflict in Ukraine, where drones have played a critical role in defense since 2022. The training is run by Kuma Academy, a non-governmental organization. Tang Tsung-yi, a spokesperson for the group, explains that the course helps beginners understand how drones work in a real-world environment. The goal is not to turn civilians into soldiers, but to help them move from passive roles—like simply hiding during a crisis—to active roles, such as observing risks and sharing information.

Interest in the course is high, with sessions sold out through August. The participants are a diverse group, including teenagers, retirees, and working professionals. Karren Wang, a 65-year-old retiree, believes that learning to fly drones is a practical way for her to contribute to her community during a crisis. Many of the students have already completed other training, such as first aid and casualty evacuation. By adding drone piloting to their skills, these citizens are preparing for scenarios where unmanned systems might be needed for surveillance across Taiwan’s mountainous terrain.

This public interest in drone technology matches a larger government effort to strengthen Taiwan’s military. According to Ars Technica, the Taiwanese government has proposed a special budget of $6.6 billion to be spent over six years on domestically produced drones. This plan, presented on June 18, aims to acquire over 200,000 coastal attack drones and hundreds of other uncrewed surface vessels by 2031. This would be a major increase from the current arsenal, which includes about 5,000 drones.

Beyond national defense, the government’s spending is intended to support local manufacturers. Companies like Thunder Tiger are now promoting their technology to international buyers, including the United States military. These companies offer their drones as alternatives to those made in China. The strategy seems to be working; according to Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai, the island exported $115 million worth of fully assembled drones in the first three months of 2026 alone. This figure already exceeds the total exports for the entire year of 2025.

Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration has also made it easier for the public to get involved by lowering the minimum age for drone registration to 14 in 2024. Today, there are more than 39,000 registered drones across the island. Some high schools in Taipei have even started summer camps to teach students how to build drones from scratch and use them for search-and-rescue operations. These educational efforts, combined with the government's military investments, show that Taiwan is treating drone technology as a vital part of its future security.

As the island faces a growing military threat from China, the focus on drones is likely to continue. While the government builds a formal military fleet, the civilian population is building its own knowledge base. Whether through high-tech military contracts or small community training classes, the message from Taiwan is clear: drones are now considered an essential tool for protecting the island’s self-governing democracy. For participants like Pan, the ability to fly a drone is a small but meaningful step toward feeling more secure in an uncertain world.