The Ministry of Digital Affairs (the MODA) held a High-Altitude Communication Platform Test and Demonstration at Luye Highland in Taitung County. The demonstration showcased for the first time a self-developed, high-altitude communication balloon as a high-altitude communication platform. It highlighted the platform's potential to quickly help restore communications after a disaster and strengthen Taiwan's communication resilience.

Minister Yennun Huang, representatives from various government ministries, and experts from industry and academia witnessed this breakthrough in innovative technology. The demonstrated high-altitude communication platform can ascend to 800 meters and maintain stable positioning, providing a ground network coverage radius of up to 11 kilometers. It is equipped with an independent power supply system using hydrogen fuel cells as the primary energy source, ensuring a stable, reliable, and low-pollution power supply even during lasting operations. The platform has a payload capacity of 50 kilograms, allowing for more equipment options and enhanced application flexibility to accommodate various scenarios. Furthermore, the platform can stay airborne for over 14 days, demonstrating its capability to provide stable communication services for extended periods, significantly improving communication recovery efficiency during disasters and enhancing communication capabilities in disaster areas and remote regions, thus reducing the digital divide.

In his speech, Minister Huang emphasized that this technological breakthrough will significantly strengthen Taiwan's response capabilities to natural disasters and significant events, particularly in quickly restoring communications when infrastructure is damaged, supporting post-disaster rescue, and ensuring public safety. Additionally, the high-altitude communication platform can be utilized in remote areas to address current digital divide issues, making communication services more accessible.

MODA pointed out that this project is a collaboration between multiple domestic research institutions, enterprises, and various government ministries, demonstrating the achievements of government-industry partnerships. Minister Huang expressed his gratitude for the support from all parties and emphasized that the MODA will continue to invest resources to optimize the platform's performance, ensuring its application in more emergency response scenarios and providing strong support for Taiwan's digital resilience.

The event also demonstrated various technologies, including simulating communication disruption and recovery processes during disasters, using the high-altitude communication platform's temporary signal combined with drones for searching and rescuing trapped civilians, allowing attendees to fully experience the real-time application effectiveness of the high-altitude communication platform.

MODA stated that it will continue to promote innovative technological development,  dedicated to realizing the vision of "Digital Connection, New Horizons," and looks forward to maximizing this technology's potential in more application scenarios in the future.