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.

Full report : The guidelines were disclosed in an annual report and follow the growing presence of mainland Chinese drones over and around the island.