Ministry of Digital Affairs promotes drone-based high-altitude base stations, aiming to showcase technical results in October
Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs is advancing the development of drone-based high-altitude base stations to enhance communication resilience. The goal is to demonstrate technical achievements by October, ensuring communication coverage of up to 20km radius even during disasters.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 14:27
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 14:31 (4 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 13, 2026 at 15:44 (1h 12m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Taipei, CNA reporter Chao Min-ya, 13th) To enhance communication resilience, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) is planning to use drones as carriers to establish highly mobile high-altitude base stations. Chen Wen-liang, Deputy Director of MODA's Department of Resources Management, stated that the drone-based high-altitude base stations are estimated to provide communication coverage with a maximum radius of 20 kilometers. MODA expects to partner with telecom operators for testing in the third quarter and aims to showcase technical results in October.
MODA continues to develop multiple backup solutions. Chen Wen-liang pointed out that traditional ground communication still needs strengthening in disaster scenarios. Once infrastructure is damaged, communication blackouts easily occur and are difficult to restore in the short term. While mobile base station vehicles can support various locations, they struggle to reach areas in need if roads are cut off.
Addressing common causes of communication outages in Taiwan, Chen Wen-liang stated that 63% are due to power outages, 28% to fixed network outages, and 9% to damaged base stations. MODA is reinforcing ground communication with multi-layered high-altitude communication, including satellite communication and high-altitude communication platforms, aiming to establish temporary communication solutions that can overcome geographical limitations and enhance post-disaster communication resilience.
MODA launched Taiwan's first tethered high-altitude balloon base station in 2024. This year, it will complete the verification of high-altitude base stations, which can be deployed rapidly for emergency missions. Chen Wen-liang explained that specially designed drones, capable of carrying a 50 kg payload, will be used to carry lightweight commercial base stations and other communication equipment. Each service session is estimated to last about 1.25 hours, providing communication services with a maximum radius of about 20 kilometers.
Chen Wen-liang stated that MODA is collaborating with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and National Taipei University of Technology, among other industry, government, and academic units, to jointly promote relevant projects. The high-altitude base station fuel assembly has been completed, and testing with telecom operators will commence in the third quarter. Technical results are expected to be demonstrated in October, followed by international exchanges in November.
He pointed out that the drones are specially designed, and the government will play a leading role to reduce industry uncertainty. The aim is to develop a commercial model that guides operators to adopt practical applications and gradually form a "fleet" mode. He also revealed that all three major telecom operators are actively participating.
Chen Wen-liang stated that in the future, modularity will allow for rapid replacement of payloads, expanding diverse application scenarios. When natural disasters cause regional communication outages, drone-based high-altitude base stations can fill communication blind spots, assist rescue personnel in performing tasks in real-time, and allow the public to contact the outside world with their existing mobile phones without changing SIM cards. (Edited by Huang Kuo-lun) 1150413
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(Taipei, CNA reporter Chao Min-ya, 13th) To enhance communication resilience, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) is planning to use drones as carriers to establish highly mobile high-altitude base stations. Chen Wen-liang, Deputy Director of MODA's Department of Resources Management, stated that the drone-based high-altitude base stations are estimated to provide communication coverage with a maximum radius of 20 kilometers. MODA expects to partner with telecom operators for testing in the third quarter and aims to showcase technical results in October.
MODA continues to develop multiple backup solutions. Chen Wen-liang pointed out that traditional ground communication still needs strengthening in disaster scenarios. Once infrastructure is damaged, communication blackouts easily occur and are difficult to restore in the short term. While mobile base station vehicles can support various locations, they struggle to reach areas in need if roads are cut off.
Addressing common causes of communication outages in Taiwan, Chen Wen-liang stated that 63% are due to power outages, 28% to fixed network outages, and 9% to damaged base stations. MODA is reinforcing ground communication with multi-layered high-altitude communication, including satellite communication and high-altitude communication platforms, aiming to establish temporary communication solutions that can overcome geographical limitations and enhance post-disaster communication resilience.
MODA launched Taiwan's first tethered high-altitude balloon base station in 2024. This year, it will complete the verification of high-altitude base stations, which can be deployed rapidly for emergency missions. Chen Wen-liang explained that specially designed drones, capable of carrying a 50 kg payload, will be used to carry lightweight commercial base stations and other communication equipment. Each service session is estimated to last about 1.25 hours, providing communication services with a maximum radius of about 20 kilometers.
Chen Wen-liang stated that MODA is collaborating with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and National Taipei University of Technology, among other industry, government, and academic units, to jointly promote relevant projects. The high-altitude base station fuel assembly has been completed, and testing with telecom operators will commence in the third quarter. Technical results are expected to be demonstrated in October, followed by international exchanges in November.
He pointed out that the drones are specially designed, and the government will play a leading role to reduce industry uncertainty. The aim is to develop a commercial model that guides operators to adopt practical applications and gradually form a "fleet" mode. He also revealed that all three major telecom operators are actively participating.
Chen Wen-liang stated that in the future, modularity will allow for rapid replacement of payloads, expanding diverse application scenarios. When natural disasters cause regional communication outages, drone-based high-altitude base stations can fill communication blind spots, assist rescue personnel in performing tasks in real-time, and allow the public to contact the outside world with their existing mobile phones without changing SIM cards. (Edited by Huang Kuo-lun) 1150413
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force for protecting press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio-visual content of this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.