(Reposted from a report by Youth Daily News journalist Lin Jui-Yi)
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) is actively responding to national policies by accelerating the establishment of Taiwan’s unmanned vehicle management mechanisms, promoting industrial development, and laying the groundwork for next-generation defense technologies. Today (25th), at the Administration Building of National Sun Yat-sen University, NCSIST joined hands with four prestigious institutions—National Sun Yat-sen University, the Republic of China Naval Academy, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology—to form the Underwater Unmanned Systems Technology Strategic Alliance.
The goal is to combine NCSIST’s existing key technologies with the academic and scientific strengths of the four universities, further advancing and solidifying underwater technology capabilities and strengthening Taiwan’s overall research capacity.
The signing ceremony was attended by NCSIST Deputy Director General Lin Kao-Chou, NSYSU President Lee Jyh-Peng, ROC Naval Academy Superintendent Rear Admiral Liu, NPUST President Chang Chin-Long, and NKUST Vice President Wu Chung-Hsin. Witnessed by senior officials and representatives from all participating institutions, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), officially launching academia-industry-research collaboration—a significant milestone in the development of underwater technology.
NCSIST stated that this collaboration aims to enhance the development of underwater unmanned technology through academia-industry cooperation, with research efforts focused on autonomous navigation for underwater vehicles, underwater communication, and detection and positioning technologies. The alliance will also push forward modular R&D for underwater unmanned vehicles and integrate NCSIST’s payload and sensing capabilities, supporting domestic underwater technology industries in developing advanced technologies and commercialization. This cooperation will help establish future R&D bases and supply chains, creating mutually beneficial and sustainable value.
Furthermore, strengthening dual-use (military and civilian) technology is one of NCSIST’s core missions. In addition to pursuing forward-looking research, NCSIST is partnering with Taiwan’s leading universities to jointly promote underwater vehicle R&D projects aligned with national needs.
The institute aims to accelerate innovation and iteration for various underwater vehicle applications, achieve better talent cultivation and industry-academia integration, stimulate local economic development, and—most importantly—lay a solid foundation for the long-term sustainability of national defense technology and defense-industry development.