TSMC is considering using drones in operations at its new chip manufacturing plant in Arizona, a report suggests. The Arizona plant is the company's most advanced manufacturing facility in the United States and is currently shipping 4-nanometer chips to major technology companies. The report from Taiwanese supply chain sources suggests that the chipmaker is seeking bids from drone suppliers with expertise in factory construction.
According to Taiwan’s Economic Daily, TSMC is building a drone team for its Arizona factory and is currently in the stage of finalizing the drone supplier. The company is currently in the first phase of the tender, with the final list of companies expected to be announced by the end of this year. Drones along with AI software and robotics is a rapidly growing technology that is expected to further develop with the help of AI software.
Details indicate that TSMC is interested in using drones at its factories in remote areas. The company faced a serious culture conflict during the construction of the U.S. factory, with local unions accusing it of favoring Taiwanese workers and not following building construction procedures. TSMC has also been sued by its U.S. employees for discrimination and unsafe working conditions. The company has denied the accusations and declined to comment on the ongoing legislation.
The harsh environment in remote areas is one of the reasons why TSMC is interested in using drones. According to industry insiders, TSMC may use drones to inspect its facilities, monitor traffic, inspect sites, and rely on drones for disaster relief. Therefore, drones can not only reduce the overall labor required for a company’s on-site operations, but also reduce the risk to workers in hazardous situations and environments.
China's DJI, one of the world's largest manufacturers of civilian drones, will also bid as a U.S. company, the sources added. Although DJI is allowed to sell its products in the United States, the company may struggle to connect its drones to telecommunications networks and other infrastructure unless the review is completed soon.
However, even though DJI has the scale of operations of TSMC, industry insiders believe the Taiwanese company could choose to rely on companies it has worked with previously or has experience in the construction industry. TSMC, the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, operates some of the largest chip manufacturing plants in the world. TSMC currently produces chips at a single factory in Arizona, but plans to expand the number of factories to three by 2020 as part of its plan to build a semiconductor supply chain dedicated to meeting U.S. demand.