Taiwan's military has signed a contract to integrate U.S.-based defence-technology firm Shield AI's technology to build intelligent unmanned systems, a move aimed at boosting the island's effort to use drones to counter the rising threat from China.

Shield AI called the collaboration an "important foundation" that could lead to broader adoption of autonomous software with Taiwan's top military research body, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST).

Under the agreement, NCSIST will integrate Shield AI's Hivemind platform into its unmanned systems, hoping to "multiply" Taiwan's combat power, which has limited manpower, the Silicon Valley-based company said.

"We are helping enable the drone forces Taiwan is building with cutting-edge AI pilots that will allow drones to team and operate while GPS and communications are jammed," said Shield AI president and co-founder Brandon Tseng, a former U.S. Navy SEAL.

The effort comes as Taiwan seeks to expand security ties with the U.S., including jointly developing and manufacturing weapons, while China steps up military pressure to force the democratically governed island to accept Beijing's sovereignty claims.

As part of its broader "asymmetric warfare" program, Taipei has been working to secure cheaper, more numerous unmanned systems designed to complicate any potential Chinese attack.

The company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

-Yimou Lee/Reuters