Taiwan sets out new rules outlining when troops can shoot down drones

Taiwan has for the first time formally outlined the circumstances under which its troops can shoot down incoming drones.

The move is part of a broader effort by the island’s defence ministry to codify its rules of engagement and strengthen its ability to respond to mounting military pressure from mainland China.

The new procedures, disclosed in the recently released National Defence Report 2025, set out a four-step standard operating procedure – identification and monitoring, alert and notification, safety confirmation and defensive firing.

The report said the guidelines aimed to improve troops’ readiness in the face of the increasingly frequent presence of mainland drones flying over or close to Taiwan island.

Taipei has also reported regular drone activity near its outlying islets – including Quemoy, also known as Kinmen, and Matsu – which lie just a few kilometres from the mainland coast.

The People’s Liberation Army has also reportedly stepped up drone flights into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, including over the island’s east, where two large underground hangars have been built to preserve air assets in the event of any attack.