The military has beefed up its drone arsenal in recent years, through both overseas procurement and domestic production. And with the increase in drones comes the need for more drone pilots. To meet the talent gap, the defense ministry says it will establish a dedicated pilot training center. Working with the private sector, it also plans to train instructors who can teach other drone pilots.
This is a military shooting range in Taitung’s Taimali Township. Soldiers in camouflage operate what appears to be an Albatross II drone, which was unveiled last year. This site could be the future home of a drone training center.
The military has a range of Taiwan-made drone models, including the Teng Yun, the Cardinal and the Albatross. In addition, the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology and the private sector are developing commercial drones that can be adapted for military use. Taiwan is also set to receive four MQ-9 Reapers from the U.S. Amid growing demand for drone pilots, the military plans to establish a drone training center that offers a wide array of courses, including training in combat scenarios.
Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
Our talent pool will not be restricted to our current personnel. There are a lot of retired military officers, or older officers that could be considered. There are no age restrictions when it comes to remotely controlling drones, so such talent can serve beyond typical age limits. We’d be recruiting pilots through diverse channels. There are also a lot of younger people who are interested in this and who have professional experience. We can recruit them to form different squads.
Training a large number of drone pilots will require teaching instructors. The military will work with the private sector to train pilots who can later become instructors for small- and medium-sized drones. The initial goal is to train 320 such instructors a year.
Huang Jen
KMT lawmaker
You want to train 320 instructors a year. That is a very low number. If you want there to be enough to train pilots, we need 1,000 instructors a year. You should reevaluate these numbers.
Chen Wen-hsing
Defense official
Our goal is to have 1,000 instructors. We will work toward that goal.
Loh Meei-ling
DPP lawmaker
Could you perhaps offer different training levels? People who are interested could start from basic courses. And people who already have the expertise can train at a different level.
Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
We’re not saying that every trainee will have to go through the basics. That would waste a lot of time. We’ll work on this.
From creating a training center to cultivating instructors, the military is ramping up its investment in drones to create an edge in asymmetric warfare.
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資料來源：https://english.ftvnews.com.tw/news/2024327W09EA
