Wu Chang-huei, an associate professor at Yuan Ze University's department of mechanical engineering, indicated that through the UAV computer system his team has developed, an unmanned vehicle can be made to automatically carry out various surveillance missions simply by punching in the coordinates of the appointed targets.

Wu noted that unmanned aircraft have been widely used to carry out military missions for many years, but it has only been in recent years that such vehicles have started to be developed for civilian uses.

In 2006, the Environmental Protection Administration contracted Yuan Ze to develop a commercial UAV system capable of performing automatic flight by following satellite navigation signals, he said.

With cameras, a UAV can also transfer images from the sky back to the control headquarters on the ground, Wu said, adding that the machine is useful for all kinds surveillance missions, including monitoring pollution at sea and the traffic situation on roads and highways. In addition, UAVs can be used for rescue missions in difficult to reach locations, such as mountainous regions or on the open seas.

Citing an unofficial estimate, Wu said military-use UAV production is expected to reach US$3 billion annually over the next five years, while civilian UAV production is forecast to reach US$600 million per year in the same period.

"The space for Taiwan to develop UAVs and relevant technologies is unlimited," the expert said.