Taiwan builds $1.45M AI system to analyze satellite imagery

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense awarded a $1.45 million contract to ThinkTron, a Taiwan-Japan joint venture, to develop an AI system that detects Chinese military ships, aircraft and mobile missile launchers in satellite imagery. The ground-based tool will compare new images with historical data and flag changes, with completion due by the end of April.

• The $1.45M contract took effect September 25, completion due end of April
• System detects ships longer than about 33 feet, aircraft and missile launchers
• It scans areas of roughly 6.2 by 6.2 miles within minutes
• Contractor ThinkTron is a JV of Sinotech and Japan's Kokusai Kogyo