By Lo Tien-pin and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Coast Guard Administration has asked the Ministry of the Interior for budgetary approval of a NT$1.6 billion (US$52.8 million) plan to acquire ship-borne aerial drones with surveillance capabilities, a coast guard official said. Pending ministry approval, the coast guard would buy 30 rotary-wing drones over five years to be used for maritime law enforcement missions, said the official, who declined to be named. The drones could aid the coast guard by providing video information in real time, the official said. Coast guard patrol ships are required to have a helicopter landing pad, but not a hangar. The coast guard would give preference to domestic contractors if their products meet performance standards, the official said.

Source: Taipei Times August 14, 2017 15:56 UTC