NXPO, in collaboration with the UAV Industrial Development and Intelligent System Research Unit at Suranaree University of Technology, organized a consultative meeting on 23 May 2025 to review the preliminary findings of a study on the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) innovation ecosystem in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to offer feedback and suggestions, which will help shape policy recommendations to foster a comprehensive UAS ecosystem aligned with stakeholder needs.
In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Wongkot Wongsapai, Vice President of NXPO, emphasized the increasing importance of UAS across multiple sectors and highlighted the need for Thailand to expedite the development of a supportive ecosystem for UAS research, testing, and safe implementation — particularly in the EEC, the country’s hub of future industries.
The meeting reflected on key conclusions from a prior consultation held on 25 April 2025 involving experts from government, industry, academia, and UAS-related organizations:
- Thailand demonstrates readiness in several areas, but an integrated, cohesive ecosystem is still needed across management, regulation, human resource development, and commercialization.
- All sectors agreed on the necessity of a clear implementation plan with well-defined milestones and roles for each agency.
- Existing laws and standards require updates to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.
- There is a pressing need to accelerate specialized skill development and promote academia-industry collaborative education programs.
This meeting sought stakeholder input in two key areas:
- Feedback on the draft policy recommendations to ensure they are comprehensive, practical and suited to Thailand’s context.
- Technical feedback on priority issues, including UAS Traffic Management (UTM) Systems; Approved Training Organizations (ATO); UAS Services; Maintenance, Repair, and Operation (MRO); and the establishment of a UAS Center.
The study team, led by Assist. Prof. Dr. Suradet Tantrairatn, presented an overview of the study, which covers an assessment of the global and Thai UAS markets, a review of UAS policies in other countries, an examination of UAS development in the EEC, and an exploration of models for establishing a UAS sandbox.
Key findings indicated that the global UAS industry demonstrated strong growth potential in 2024, with Asia emerging as a leader in UAV deployment. In Thailand, over 138,832 drones had been registered as of 30 December 2024. The team also examined international UAS policies and development models.
Based on the study and consulations, a preliminary policy framework was proposed, outlining short-term (within 3 years), medium-term (3–5 years), and long-term (5+ years) goals. Recommendations in four strategic areas are as follows:
- Human Resource Development
- Promote ATO and MRO training programs in the EEC to build a skilled workforce in areas such as AI, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight operations, and competencies aligned with ICAO’s Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) framework.
- Support aviation and aerospace engineering programs in the EEC.
- Technology Development
- Establish intermediate to advanced UTM infrastructure to support commercial UAS applications.
- Expand UAS flight corridors in line with growing demand.
- Encourage local manufacturing of UAS components within the EEC to strengthen domestic capability and reduce import dependency.
- Infrastructure Development
- Support the development of platforms such as ThaiUAS to manage, test, and certify UAS operations in the EEC.
- Promote the creation of UAS sandbox for BVLOS operations and UAV-based air transport services in the EEC.
- Regulations and Standards
- Develop UAS standards.
- Establish a support center offering consultation and services in UAS standards.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion, during which participants exchanged views and offered valuable input to help refine mechanisms and policy recommendations aimed at strengthening the UAS ecosystem in the EEC.
