Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has entered a pact with a local partner to develop unmanned helicopters, as it forms a partnership with US autonomy firm Shield AI.
AIDC and local firm Thunder Tiger will develop a “next-generation, medium-to-large, unmanned helicopter”, which will bear the designation T-400, says AIDC.
The rotorcraft will have both civilian and military applications.
The T-400’s main rotor will have a diameter of 4m (13ft 1in), and the helicopter will perform missions such as reconnaissance, offshore delivery, fisheries support, and the inspection of offshore wind turbines.
A rendering of the T-400 shows it equipped with an electro-optical/infrared sensor under the chin, and an synthetic aperture radar pod from US company IMSAR underneath the tail.
The pact will see Thunder Tiger lead the design and manufacturing of the T-400, with AIDC providing support in areas such as airframe structural analysis, vibration reduction, and heat dissipation.
AIDC did not offer a timeframe for the work, nor does it specify potential customers.
In addition, US autonomy software company Shield AI recently announced a teaming agreement with AIDC. The agreement focuses on sustainment, training, autonomy integration, and other efforts to help deploy and support Shield AI’s products in Taiwan.
“As the largest and most capable defence prime in Taiwan, our work with AIDC is really about accelerating Taiwan’s local drone and aerospace industry as they ramp up next generation deterrence capabilities now and for the next two decades,” says Shield AI president Brandon Tseng.
“This is going to be a fantastic, long-term partnership.”
The Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition event is taking place in Taiwan’s capital this week.
