Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-Hsin Kung and Taiwan's Representative to Japan I-Yang Lee witnessed the signing of three Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) under the framework of "Taiwan-Japan Industrial Technology Collaboration on Advanced Air Mobility and Drone Systems in Tokyo on July 15. The three agreements include a partnership among Taiwanese drone company 7A Drones, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), and SkyDrive, a leading Japanese advanced air mobility company, to promote the use of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for emergency medical transport between Taiwan's outlying islands; cooperation between 7A Drones and Japanese logistics drone company AlterSky to introduce the commercial deployment of large cargo drones; and cooperation between 7A Drones and AeroJapan to develop training drone products for wildlife damage prevention.

Minister Kung stated that Taiwan's drone industry has grown rapidly in recent years, with its output value rising significantly from approximately NT$5 billion in 2024 to NT$12.9 billion in 2025. Export value also surged from NT$140 million to NT$2.9 billion, demonstrating the industry's strong potential in overseas markets.

Minister Kung highlighted three key aspects of the partnerships. First, they will deepen technological cooperation in the drone sector. Taiwan's independently developed flight control systems, motors, electronic speed controllers, and complete aircraft system integration capabilities will undergo further validation in real-world application environments in Japan. Second, the partnerships will expand application markets. Through introduction and validation across Japan's diverse application environments, Taiwan can provide reliable technologies, products, and solutions while further demonstrating the international application value of its innovative technologies. Finally, the partnerships will advance commercial deployment. The procurement partnership signed between 7A Drones and AlterSky marks an important step toward bringing Taiwan's large cargo drones to the Japanese market. It also demonstrates that Taiwan-Japan cooperation is progressing from technological validation to tangible commercial applications. Through these partnerships, Taiwan's reliable technologies, products, and solutions will gain greater international visibility. The MOEA will continue to help Taiwanese companies strengthen their international competitiveness and expand into global markets, Minister Kung added.

Director General Chao-Chung Kuo of the MOEA's Department of Industrial Technology stated that, among the three agreements signed, the partnership among 7A Drones, ITRI, and SkyDrive in advanced air mobility (AAM) and outlying-island medical transport has officially progressed from the conceptual stage to the demonstration preparation stage. The three parties will focus on emergency medical transport needs in Taiwan's Penghu Islands, seeking to address medical access challenges caused by the suspension of ferry services during winter. A specific route between Magong and Hujing has already been planned. The service is expected to be officially launched after 2028. In the future, 7A Drones will lead local demonstrations, aircraft operations, maintenance, and repairs, while coordinating with administrative and medical institutions.

The Department of Industrial Technology further explained that, in the field of large cargo drones, 7A Drones has signed a cooperation agreement with AlterSky, which is headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. AlterSky has completed more than 1,000 drone operations across a wide range of applications, including electrical infrastructure, civil engineering, and disaster response. To address Japan's logistics labor shortages and aging population, the two companies will jointly promote field demonstrations of large cargo drones, provide support for regulatory certification under Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act, and advance commercial applications. By combining 7A Drones' aircraft system technologies with AlterSky's operational experience, the partnership will facilitate the successful introduction of Taiwan-made large cargo drones into the Japanese market.

For training drone products, 7A Drones will also leverage AeroJapan's education, training, and maintenance support network to develop applications in wildlife damage prevention and talent cultivation. The MOEA emphasized that these Taiwan-Japan partnerships demonstrate that Taiwan's drone industry now possesses integrated export capabilities spanning key components, complete aircraft systems, and application services. This cooperation lays an important foundation for Taiwan's positioning within trusted global supply chains.