TechBBN TECH

U.S. Defense Startups Flock to Taiwan to Build China-Free Drones

The emerging industry could supply the U.S. military while giving Taiwan an arsenal it sees as essential to its survival; the screws are still being sourced.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN Tonight
Published 9:22 PM ET, Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Photo: Taiwan — Photo: xiangyang17 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by WSJ: “U.S. Defense Startups Flock to Taiwan to Build China-Free Drones”.
Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 9:22 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Taiwan, US.
BBN covered this story before: Moscow Flights Still Disrupted; Fresh Look at China's Island Play (October 9).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

WSJU.S. Defense Startups Flock to Taiwan to Build China-Free Drones

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentU.S. defense startups are moving to Taiwan to build drones with no Chinese parts, and Taiwan wants the arsenal because it sees it as essential to its survival.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo it's a drone made in a place with no China in it.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentI love that for the supply chain, I'd watch that on a tracker.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA tracker for what, exactly? Every screw, wire and battery has to be traced, and that is the hard part of this whole industry.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentEvery screw gets a tracking number.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentYour drone is out for delivery, it's three stops away, here's a photo of the bolt on a porch.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThree stops.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentI have three PhDs, and that is the first supply chain idea that could work.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentI assume you've been thinking about supply chains longer than I have.