TELECOM TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Digital Affairs (moda), Telecom Technology Center (TTC) in partnership with private cybersecurity firms, including CHT Security Co., Ltd., Onward Security, and Digiforen Technology Co., Ltd., held an unveiling ceremony for the "UAV Cybersecurity Joint Laboratory" on March 1 at its Kaohsiung Science Park headquarters, officially launching its testing services. Distinguished guests in attendance delivered remarks, including Minister without Portfolio Tsung-Tsong Wu of the Executive Yuan; Minister Audrey Tang of moda; Deputy Mayor Ta-Sheng Lo of the Kaohsiung City Government; Chief Secretary Ho-Ting Huang of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC); and Director General Kuo-Shian Lin of the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA). The event drew active participation from representatives of industry, government, academia, and research institutes, who engaged in lively exchanges during their visit to the laboratory, underscoring the importance placed on drone cybersecurity across all sectors.

The global drone industry has grown rapidly in recent years. According to Drone Industry Insights, the market is expected to reach US$55 billion by 2026. As drones are increasingly used in military, logistics, inspection, agriculture, land surveying and mapping, and public demonstrations and performances, drone cybersecurity has become a key focus across all sectors, particularly given Taiwan's location in a geopolitical hotspot. TTC, a government-supported non-profit foundation, established the UAV Cybersecurity Joint Laboratory together with private cybersecurity firms in line with government policy, and released Taiwan's first Cybersecurity Assurance Specification for Drones on January 4, 2023. To ensure cybersecurity is incorporated from the design and development stage, the specification sets forth inspection and testing requirements for drone manufacturers, drones (including payload systems), ground control stations, and traffic management systems. With the guidance and support of the National Science and Technology Council, the Ministry of Digital Affairs, and the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the competent authority for drones, the unveiling ceremony for the UAV Cybersecurity Joint Laboratory took place today. The laboratory will cooperate with the CAA to incorporate cybersecurity testing requirements into the upcoming revision of the Regulations on Drones and will conduct related testing services.

Starting today, the UAV Cybersecurity Joint Laboratory will provide UAV manufacturers with comprehensive testing services, including cybersecurity maturity assessments, security design and development reviews, UAV system security, software security, communication security, firmware security, and chip security, as well as strengthening domestic UAV cybersecurity testing capabilities. For emerging fields of application such as drone swarms, the Laboratory will offer on-site cybersecurity assessment services to enhance security through threat modeling, vulnerability detection, penetration testing, and impact analysis. Looking ahead, TTC will harmonize domestic and international cybersecurity standards to help drone manufacturers obtain the certifications required for global market entry, ultimately strengthening the competitiveness of Taiwan’s drone industry.