Taiwan has received its first batch of Altius 600M military drones purchased from the United States. The region’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed the delivery, stating that the U.S.-made multipurpose drones, produced by defense contractor Anduril, arrived on August 4. The successful procurement of the Altius 600M reflects the military’s determination to adapt to evolving battlefield conditions and accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies.
Taiwan purchased these U.S. drones in June last year, with an estimated cost of around $300 million for 291 units. In addition to the drones themselves, the deal includes auxiliary equipment, training drones, logistics services, and engineering support.

The Altius 600M is a multipurpose unmanned aerial system with a modular design capable of carrying payloads of up to 3 kg. These payloads range from warheads for use as loitering munitions (suicide drones) to advanced optical systems and electronic warfare equipment.

(Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense, Chiu Li-cheng. August 5, 2025)

The drone measures 1 meter in length and weighs about 12 kg. Thanks to its transport and launch container with a pneumatic launch system, it can be deployed from various platforms.

(Altius 600M drone. Image source: Anduril Industries)

Its 2.54-meter wingspan unfolds rapidly after ejection from the launch container, followed by activation of a rear-mounted electric motor with a two-blade propeller. The drone can be manually piloted by an operator from a ground control station or fly autonomously via pre-programmed routes. It can remain airborne for up to 4 hours with a maximum range of 440 km.