KIELCE, Poland — Taiwan’s Chiayi County is stepping up efforts to connect its emerging drone industry with European markets, with a county delegation visiting Poland’s major International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) to explore potential partnerships and supply-chain opportunities.
Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang led a delegation of county officials and representatives from the drone industry, academia and research sectors to the exhibition in Kielce on Sept. 10.
The visit was aimed at understanding the latest developments in unmanned systems while building connections between Taiwanese and European companies.
Taiwan Looks to Europe for Drone Opportunities
The 34th MSPO, held Sept. 8–11, brought together 1,209 companies from 43 countries, making it one of the largest editions of the defense exhibition to date.
The event highlighted technologies involving unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, aerospace and counter-drone capabilities — areas that have become increasingly important to governments and defense industries around the world.
For Chiayi, the exhibition provided an opportunity to examine how Taiwanese drone manufacturers could become part of emerging European supply chains.
Weng said the delegation was particularly interested in the rapid development of unmanned technology in Europe and the growing demand for systems that can perform tasks without placing personnel directly in high-risk environments.
Delegation Meets Major European Industry Players
During the exhibition, the Chiayi delegation visited Taiwan’s own industry exhibition area before meeting representatives connected with major Polish defense and technology companies.
Among those visited were Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), WB Group and Advanced Protection Systems (APS), as well as representatives in Canada’s national pavilion.
The delegation examined developments in autonomous flight, unmanned systems and counter-drone technologies while learning more about European market requirements.
The discussions are part of a broader effort to move Taiwan’s drone sector beyond domestic development and toward international commercial partnerships.
Cooperation Had Already Begun Before MSPO
The Poland visit also builds on contacts established earlier in the trip.
On Sept. 7, the Chiayi delegation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pomerania Development Agency in northern Poland. The following day, Taiwanese and Polish drone companies participated in a business-matching event designed to encourage direct industry connections.
The involvement of companies, universities and research institutions reflects Chiayi’s effort to develop an ecosystem rather than simply promote individual drone products.
Weng has said he hopes Taiwanese and European businesses can eventually explore deeper arrangements, including joint ventures and industrial cooperation.
Why Poland Matters
Poland has become an increasingly important defense and security market in Europe, particularly amid heightened regional security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
That environment has accelerated interest in unmanned systems, counter-drone technology and resilient defense supply chains.
MSPO itself describes the event as a major meeting point for governments, military delegations and defense companies, providing opportunities for international business relationships and discussion of emerging technologies.
For Taiwan, European partnerships could provide another avenue for its drone manufacturers to gain international market access and diversify their supply-chain relationships.
Taiwan’s Drone Industry Push Goes Global
The Chiayi delegation’s visit is part of a wider Taiwanese effort to develop the island’s drone industry and connect domestic manufacturers with overseas partners.
Taiwanese and Polish companies also signed drone-related cooperation agreements at MSPO in 2025, showing that industry links between the two sides predate this year’s Chiayi delegation.
The latest initiative therefore represents another step in an expanding relationship rather than a completely new partnership.
For Chiayi, the objective is to leverage its local industrial, academic and research resources while using European connections to reach new markets.
The Bigger Picture
The global drone industry is changing rapidly, with unmanned systems increasingly being developed for a wide range of civilian, industrial and security applications.
Chiayi’s push into Europe reflects Taiwan’s broader ambition to become a more significant player in that international ecosystem.
But the immediate outcome of the Poland visit is not a confirmed major contract. Instead, the delegation has opened and strengthened relationships that could potentially lead to future business, technology and supply-chain cooperation.
The real test will now be whether those meetings develop into concrete partnerships — and whether Chiayi can turn its European outreach into a lasting international role for Taiwan’s growing drone industry.
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