TAIPEI -- Taiwan continues to work on unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). Testing of the Teng Yun (Cloud Rider) is underway. Flights are occurring near a Taiwanese Air Force base in sparsely populated Taitung County.
The Teng Yun is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV. The prime contractor for this program is the state-run National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST). A Teng Yun UAV was seen flying over the Zhihang Air Force Base in Taitung County. The air vehicle resembles the U.S.-made Predator UAV.
Initially, the Taiwanese Air Force is reportedly uninterested in purchasing the Teng Yun UAV due to electronic system issues. The NCSIST is working on an upgraded version that corrects existing problems. Now, the Taiwanese Air Force is expressing a willingness to acquire this UAV.