Thunder Tiger Corp. chief sounds alarm on Taiwan’s nascent drone industry

Thunder Tiger Corp. chief sounds alarm on Taiwan’s nascent drone industry

2026-10-05

The war between Russia and Ukraine first showed the world the importance of drones to modern warfare, particularly for a weaker power in conflict with a much larger neighbor. Experts say Taiwan needs a flourishing drone industry. However, a leading domestic military drone manufacturer is sounding the alarm. Gene Su, the general manager of Thunder Tiger Corp., says he’s worried that government investment in the industry might not be stable and consistent, amid clashes with the opposition-dominated legislature, which would greatly impact research and development. He also points out that there is no regulatory body to oversee the industry in Taiwan. Let’s find out more.

Gene Su
Thunder Tiger Corp. general manager
Elon Musk’s company Starlink claims it won’t offer service to Taiwan. I’ve asked the chair of Chunghwa Telecom several times when we’ll have good low-Earth orbit satellites.

Gene Su, the general manager of Thunder Tiger Corp., a leading domestic military drone manufacturer, points out all the difficulties faced by Taiwanese manufacturers. For Taiwan to develop a “non-red supply chain,” three major challenges need to be overcome first.

Gene Su
Thunder Tiger Corp. general manager
For example, in Taiwan we have the Civil Aviation Administration to inspect manned aircraft, and we may have the NCC to inspect telecommunications, but drones, and the hundreds of chips inside drones, who regulates them? Otherwise, import and export manufacturers will have opportunities to attempt to “launder the country of origin,” etc.

The Legislative Yuan has passed a drone bill, budgeting NT$240 billion over six years through annual budgets, which has raised some concerns within the industry

Gene Su
Thunder Tiger Corp. general manager
For example, if I invest NT$100 million in tooling and amortize it over six years, I can gradually iterate and improve its performance. We hope the budget for each year will be consistent and continuous. Otherwise, manufacturers end up making A this year, B next year, and C the year after and continuous research and development and investment will not be stable.

The Ukraine-Russia war has set a precedent, showing drones have completely changed the face of modern military conflicts. Compared with other countries, Taiwan started developing military drones late. It is urgent for Taiwan to catch up with international trends.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Thundertiger #Taiwandrones #LEOsatellites #dronebudget #nonredsupplychains #crossstrait #Taiwanchina

軍用無人機龍頭談"非紅供應鏈" 雷虎:得先克服三大挑戰

2026-10-05

地緣政治升溫，軍用無人機載具發展刻不容緩，行政院長卓榮泰已經副署立院三讀通過的無人機條例，軍用無人機龍頭雷虎接受民視決策者獨家專訪提到，年度預算會碰到的困境，除此之外，台灣要發展非紅供應鏈，也存在不少挑戰。

[[雷虎科技總經理蘇聖傑]]
“伊隆•馬斯克的星鏈這家公司，它宣稱不服務台灣，所以我曾經好幾次跟中華電信董事長說，請教我們什麼時候，有好的低軌衛星”

國內軍用無人機龍頭雷虎總經理蘇聖傑，點出台灣廠商碰到的難題，要發展「非紅供應鏈」得先克服三大挑戰。

[[雷虎科技總經理蘇聖傑]]
“舉個例子，我們國家有民航局檢查有人機，我們國家可能有NCC檢查電訊，可是無人機，還有無人機它裡面的幾百個晶片，是誰來進行規範，否則進出口的廠商，它就有機會去，想說洗產地等等”

立法院通過無人機條例，2400億分6年以「年度預算」編列，產業界有些顧慮。

[[雷虎科技總經理蘇聖傑]]
“舉個例子，我投資了一個模具一億，我要六年攤銷，我就可以慢慢地去迭代，去增加它的性能，每一年的預算內容，我們希望是有一個持續性跟一致性，不然的話，廠商會變成說，今年做A ，明年做B，後年做C，那我們的持續的研發，投資，就會比較不穩定”

烏俄戰爭開創先例，無人機已經徹底改變，現代軍事衝突樣貌，相較於其他國家，台灣發展軍用無人機起步晚，想跟上國際腳步、刻不容緩！

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We usually don’t recommend using an old pomelo. It’s better to use a fresh one.

Cut up the peel, put it in a jar and submerge it in alcohol, then cover it and leave it in a cool, dark place for a week. This DIY cleaning liquid is great for getting grease off microwaves, stoves, and pots.

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We usually recommend using it on surfaces that don’t come into contact with food, like the hood of a stove or the outside of pots. I wouldn’t recommend using it to wash dishes. It can save you at least NT$1,000 a year.

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Yang Hsien-ying
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When it’s microwaved, it will boil, so there will be steam. The steam will slowly soften any grime and bacteria in the microwave.

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For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Phone brands are racing to release new foldable phones for the high-end market, with Apple releasing its first foldable iPhone this October. Meanwhile, Samsung is launching a model with new screen dimensions and Oppo is promoting its model’s advanced camera. But with prices starting at NT$60,000, it remains to be seen how many people will choose these flashy new phones.

Even drilling the screen leaves no scratches. The phone can be folded and unfolded repeatedly and is advertised to last 13 years. To show its strength, the company used the phone to pull rowing machines and lift kettlebells while unfolded.

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Mr. Yi
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Its screen breaks easily, so repairs could be expensive, which can make people hesitant to buy it. They might not care about the initial expenditure, but would worry about the warranty and customer service after purchasing it.

Samsung’s Fold8 has a new 4:3 display ratio, Oppo’s N6 boasts impressive camera capabilities, the Honor V6 screen is only 4mm thick when unfolded, and the long-awaited foldable iPhone is only as big as a passport. But with all these phones priced at over NT$60,000, are they really worth it?

Member of public
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If I could afford it, I’d like to try it. The screen is larger, and the iPhone model has lots of new functions. But it would depend on the price.

With innovative features, foldable phones are continuing to improve as technology develops, but their high price remains a barrier for many.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Chiang Yu-huang
Tainan Railway Police
According to Articles 57 and 70 of the Railway Act, pedestrians and vehicles are prohibited from trespassing on railway lines. Violators may be fined between NT$10,000 and NT$50,000

Similarly, this afternoon at Kaohsiung’s Gangshan Station, a passenger was reported to have asked the conductor to get off and take a picture of him with the Pokémon train.

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Karen Kuo
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Her actions clearly violate the laws of the countries involved. The FBI even had its director personally announce the case this time. China’s long-arm reach, particularly its targeting of the overseas activities of the relatives of key Taiwanese political figures, is something the US is taking very seriously. US authorities have gathered substantial evidence, including communications, surveillance photographs, and an oath of allegiance in which she pledged loyalty to the People’s Republic of China.

FBI Director Kash Patel also took to social media, accusing the woman of surveilling the family of a foreign leader on US soil on behalf of the Chinese government. Patel questioned whether she thought she could simply board a flight and escape to Shanghai, saying that that was not going to happen. Zhang is accused of failing to register with the US Department of Justice as a foreign agent. If convicted under Section 951 of Title 18 of the US Code, she could face up to 10 years in prison.

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Legendary TV host Kevin Tsai spotted at Puma Shen event

Legendary television host Kevin Tsai, best known for the talk show Kangsi Coming, rarely attends political events. But on Sunday, he was among the thousands of supporters at the inauguration of Puma Shen’s campaign headquarters in Taipei. Tsai kept a low profile, wearing a hat and a facemask, and holding Puma Shen merch. But still people, recognized him, including people on the other side of the strait. Chinese netizens called for a boycott online, and a Chinese EV brand, Leapmotor, took down all promotional content featuring Tsai. Let’s hear more.

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Puma Shen
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Kevin Tsai clearly said he would like to check out all of the candidates, and see what each of them advocates for. I think that’s nothing special in a democratic society like ours. If people who do that were to be punished, that would be extremely unfair.

Chiang Wan-an
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Everyone is free to attend any political event. I urge Mainland China to respect Taiwan’s free and democratic way of life, and to not treat people differently due to their political views. I welcome Mr. Kevin Tsai to also attend the inauguration of our campaign headquarters. If he comes, he’ll be in the VIP area.

Tsai later responded to Chiang Wan-an in a social media post, saying that if he receives an invitation, he would be happy to attend the event to observe and learn. He even joked that he would do his best to follow the host’s preferred dress code and dress accordingly to help create the right party atmosphere. While the latest episode involving Tsai may have come as a surprise to some fans, others have praised what they call his intellectual integrity.

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Musk tweeted on X that for now it’s “Just discussions,” adding that “Something may come of it.” The development comes hot in the heels of rumors that TSMC is considering establishing a second US manufacturing site in Texas. Though the chipmaker has not commented on the matter, there is a lot of speculation about a potential collab.

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Musk is not an expert in chip manufacturing, he’s an outsider. So he may think that partnering with TSMC would be the fastest option. Working with TSMC to make chips in the US would be much faster than building a fab himself.

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Pay, and you’ll get what you want. Traditionally, TSMC has built fabs according to its own expansion plans, so building a facility specifically for a single customer would be at odds with its business model.

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Many small drops eventually make up the ocean, and that was the case on Sunday along Taipei’s Zhongshan North and South Roads; at the opening of Taipei’s DPP Mayoral Candidate Puma Shen’s headquarters. Some reports suggest over 120,000 fans showed up in the streets.

Legislator Rosalia Wu, who serves as Puma Shen’s campaign manager, was deeply moved backstage and tearfully embraced Legislator Chen Pei-yu. Shen quietly told Wu that he wished his mother was here to see this.

Puma Shen
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When I think about how far we’ve come, I can’t help but feel tears in my eyes. It’s like the wind being carried by ocean currents, and this is the wind of democracy.

As an avid anime fan, Shen once again quoted a famous line from the anime JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures, to describe the Ocean Current movement.

Puma Shen
Taipei Mayoral Candidate (DPP)
I cannot help but quote “JoJo” once again: the hymn of humanity is a hymn of courage, it is because we possess courage that we have made it this far.

With clear vision and no turbulence, Puma Shen is emerging as a favorable figure for the DPP despite the odds stacked against him. He’s even released a campaign song titled “Future Soon.”

President Lai Ching-te also made an appearance on Sunday, raising Shen’s hand in support.

Lai Ching-te
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As of late, I’ve seen TV commentators claiming that when I nominated Puma Shen, the sole objective was to check Chiang Wan-an rather than winning, and that this goal has been achieved. Let me set the record straight: such claims are a form of cognitive warfare. As the party chairperson, when I nominated Puma Shen, my goal was precisely for him to win this election.

Not only the president, vice president, and premier take turns stepping up, but former President Tsai Ing-wen also made an appearance.

Lai and Tsai sharing the stage to rally for support remained the highlight of the event.

The event is being described online as an election-eve rally, featuring an impressive line-up of political figures. With less than two months remaining before elections, Puma Shen continues to pull out all the stops.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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