Taiwan Legislator Slams Opposition's Drone Bill for Instability

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan is preparing for crucial consultations on drone industry regulations, with a key debate centering on funding mechanisms. Legislator Chung Chia-pin of the Democratic Progressive Party has voiced strong opposition to opposition-led proposals, particularly their reliance on annual budget reviews.

Chung argues that the drone industry requires significant capital investment for production lines and mold development. He contends that annual budget reviews, as proposed by the opposition, would lead to erratic "binge eating" followed by production line interruptions for manufacturers. Instead, he champions the executive branch's proposal for a NT$210 billion special budget, which would provide the stable, long-term funding necessary for industry commitment.

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The drone industry needs a stable, long-term order. If it's not a long-term order, not something that can be continuously carried out within three to five years, manufacturers will not set up production lines or open molds.

Furthermore, Chung identified two major flaws in the opposition's draft legislation. He criticized the unrealistic high self-production rate requirements, emphasizing that modern drone development prioritizes iterative updates and immediate parts acquisition. He also deemed the requirement for each county to establish testing grounds impractical, citing Taiwan's diverse terrain, which necessitates specialized sea, mountain, and urban testing environments not available in every locality.

Chung advocates for revising the existing "Drone Technology Innovation Experimentation Act" rather than creating new legislation. He highlighted the current act's advantages, including comprehensive definitions covering land, sea, and air, a single window for economic affairs, streamlined site approvals, and resolution of regulatory conflicts. He urged a synchronized approach of passing the special budget and amending the existing act to efficiently support national defense procurement and meet industry development needs.

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The blue-white version's requirement for each county to set up testing grounds on average is absurd.