Positioned for Coast Guard and Defense UAV Programs in 2026–2027
December 31, 2025 — SemiLux International Ltd. (NASDAQ: SELX)
SemiLux International Ltd. (“SemiLux”) today announced that its Taiwan subsidiary, Taiwan Color Optics, Inc. (“TCO”), has been awarded the Coastal and Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Pilot Program by the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration.
The pilot program carries a total contract value of approximately USD 7 million and represents a key milestone in Taiwan’s deployment of long-endurance unmanned systems for maritime surveillance and law-enforcement missions.
According to the official award announcement, TCO ranked first among four qualified bidders and was selected as the best-value bidder, reflecting the government’s recognition of its system integration capability, operational readiness, and execution capacity.
U.S. OEM Collaboration and NDAA + Blue UAS Alignment
The program is based on cooperation with U.S. unmanned systems manufacturer Edge Autonomy, utilizing the Penguin C Mk2.5 VTOL fixed-wing vertical takeoff and landing UAV platform. The system features long-endurance performance, VTOL capability, and integrated EO/IR payloads for persistent maritime ISR missions.
The overall system architecture is designed to comply with the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requirements and aligned with the U.S. Department of Defense Blue UAS framework, making it suitable for high-reliability coast guard and defense applications.
TCO will be responsible for system integration, localized manufacturing activities, and ongoing technical support in Taiwan.
Outlook: Coast Guard and Defense UAV Programs
Following the current pilot program, the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration and the Ministry of National Defense have publicly outlined follow-on UAV requirements as part of Taiwan’s broader maritime security and defense resilience planning.
Based on publicly available planning references:
• The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration is expected to pursue a medium-range UAV expansion program with an estimated value of approximately USD 25 million.
• The Ministry of National Defense has outlined a large-scale fixed-wing VTOL UAV program planned for 2026–2027, encompassing approximately 710 UAV units with an estimated total program value of approximately USD 300 million.
Any future participation will be subject to formal procurement procedures and applicable regulations.
Strategic Positioning
Building on the experience gained from the Taiwan Coast Guard pilot program, SemiLux continues to position itself as a provider of NDAA-compliant, Blue UAS–aligned unmanned systems, integrating advanced optical sensing, localized manufacturing, and trusted supply-chain practices to support national-scale UAV programs.
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About the SemiLux Group
SemiLux International Ltd. (NASDAQ: SELX) is an international technology holding company focused on advanced optics, AI-enabled sensing, unmanned systems, and defense and industrial applications.
Key operating entities within the SemiLux Group include:
• Taiwan Color Optics, Inc.
Provides U.S. advanced unmanned aerial system total solutions designed to comply with NDAA requirements and aligned with the Blue UAS framework, with a focus on coast guard and defense applications.
• EJAT Technology Co., Ltd.
Serves as the Group’s UAV manufacturing and system integration arm, responsible for airframe manufacturing, key module integration, and mission system configuration.
• EJ Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd.
Focuses on UAV and AI applications for smart agriculture, including crop monitoring and agricultural inspection systems.
• United Kaohsiung AI Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
Specializes in AI medical imaging and intelligent healthcare systems, focusing on early disease detection, clinical decision support, and medical data analytics.
Through coordinated development across its subsidiaries, SemiLux aims to build a cross-domain technology platform integrating optics, AI computing, and unmanned systems.