TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first group of trainees at Taiwan’s Global UAV Academy will come from Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu, foreign ministry Department of NGO International Affairs Director-General Chiang Chen-wei (江振瑋) said Tuesday.
Chiang told a press conference that Taiwan signed memorandums of understanding with the three Pacific island allies during the Pacific Islands Forum, which concluded earlier this month. Up to 30 trainees will receive training late this year or early next year, he said.
The academy will be formally established next week as a nonprofit foundation, Chiang said. It will be funded entirely by private sources, and the private sector will select its director, he added. Offices will be established in Taipei and Chiayi by the end of the year.
The academy’s core mission is to promote international cooperation on unmanned systems by training professionals and connecting resources, including industry alliances and research and development capabilities. It is intended to become a hub for drone personnel training, certification, maintenance, and exports.
