Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) Taiwan will soon start development of its first indigenous autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), with the goal of launching it in five years' time, officials behind the project said Friday.
At a press conference, Wang Chau-chang , director of the Taiwan Oceanic Research Institute (TORI), said Taiwan already has the technology to develop its own AUV, which should be ready for the first round of testing in two years.
Wang said he hoped the AUV project would be completed within five years, with the allocation of adequate funds and manpower.
The AUV would help boost Taiwan's oceanic research, military investigations, and international disaster relief efforts, according to former Deputy Minister of National Defense Admiral Chen Yung-kang.
The AUV development team comprises personnel from National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), Chung Cheng Institute of Technology at National Defense University, Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Group, CSBC Corporation, and TORI.
NSYSU President Cheng Ying-Yao said the project would mark a milestone in Taiwan's application of underwater technology, bringing together the power of academic institutions and the industrial sector to contribute to society.