Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung (left) visits an exhibition area featuring a drone demonstration during his working visit to Phu Tho province

UAVs are rapidly evolving from technology used mainly for testing and recreation into tools capable of creating value across many areas of the economy. Their use is expanding across agriculture, construction and logistics, as well as infrastructure and environmental monitoring, search and rescue, and other applications.

However, as the technology advances rapidly, requirements for management, safety and standardization are becoming increasingly pressing. A clear technical framework not only helps regulators manage risks but also provides transparent “rules of the game,” giving businesses greater confidence to invest, conduct research and commercialize products.

Gradually Establishing Technical “Rules of the Game” for UAVs

On June 14, 2026, the Ministry of Science and Technology issued Decision 2778/BKHCN-TDC, listing national standards (TCVN), international standards, regional standards and foreign standards for strategic technology products, together with guidance on applying standards and selecting content for developing TCVNs to support these products.

Notably, for unmanned aerial vehicles, the list identifies 88 standards developed by organizations including ISO, ASTM, EN and IEEE. These serve as references for agencies, organizations and businesses to consider adopting or using as a basis for developing national standards suited to practical requirements. The standards cover a wide range of areas, from classification and terminology, UAV systems and design, and operations to airspace and UAV traffic management, safety, testing, evaluation and certification.

Notably, the group of standards on airspace and UAV traffic management, including the ISO 23629 series, shows that UAV management extends beyond the aircraft itself. As unmanned aerial vehicles become more widely used, airspace management, vehicle identification, flight monitoring and data sharing will become inseparable components.

For businesses, establishing a unified standards system is particularly important. Clear standards enable businesses to understand the requirements their products must meet from design and manufacturing through testing and market launch. Harmonization with international standards can reduce the risk of businesses having to design products to specific requirements that are difficult to align with foreign markets. This is particularly important as Vietnam seeks not only to develop its domestic UAV market but also to participate more deeply in global technology supply chains.

However, in a field characterized by rapid innovation, standards cannot be developed rigidly. Technical requirements need to be updated as technology advances while accounting for UAV types with different levels of risk and intended uses. A UAV used for recreation carries different risks from equipment used in agriculture, construction surveying or cargo transportation. A risk-based approach can therefore help balance regulatory requirements with market development needs.

Creating Space for Low-Altitude Economic Ecosystem

Under regulations on civil air defense, the Ministry of National Defense is responsible to the Government for managing civil air defense and unmanned aerial vehicles, including overseeing and monitoring flight operations, issuing flight permits, and identifying and publishing no-fly areas and zones.

Under Point a, Clause 1, Article 30 of Government Decree 288/2025/ND-CP dated November 5, 2025, the Ministry of National Defense is responsible for taking the lead, in coordination with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Construction and relevant ministries and agencies, in developing, issuing and recognizing standards and technical regulations for aircraft.

Meanwhile, under Point c, Clause 7, Article 30 of Decree 288/2025/ND-CP, the Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for coordinating with the Ministry of National Defense to develop standards and technical regulations for aircraft, and for leading the appraisal and publication of national standards for aircraft. The Ministry of National Defense is also responsible for reviewing and completing the TCVNs and national technical regulations within its assigned public management responsibilities in accordance with regulations. This division of responsibilities shows that UAV management is an intersectoral task requiring coordination in aircraft management, airspace management, technical standards and data infrastructure.

On this basis, the Ministry of Science and Technology performs the function of unified public management of standards and technical regulations while coordinating with the Ministry of National Defense and relevant ministries and agencies to develop a system of standards and technical regulations for UAVs. One approach under consideration is to research technological solutions for identification, connectivity, monitoring and integration of no-fly-zone data into UAVs. If effectively implemented, this could provide a foundation for a digitalized aircraft management ecosystem, reducing reliance on manual management methods. From a market perspective, standardization extends beyond safety control. When the “rules of the game” are clear, businesses will have a basis for identifying markets, calculating investment costs and developing products.

In particular, UAVs can create a broad value chain extending well beyond aircraft manufacturing. It also includes components, sensors, batteries, control software, artificial intelligence (AI), digital maps, positioning systems, fleet management platforms and services that extract data from UAVs.

In agriculture, unmanned aerial vehicles can support field monitoring, spraying and irrigation, and crop data collection. In construction, UAVs can be used for topographic surveys, progress inspections and project monitoring. In industry and energy, the technology can support inspections of power lines, plants, warehouses and large-scale infrastructure. In logistics, meeting technical and management requirements could pave the way for UAV delivery models in suitable areas. In disaster prevention and rescue, UAVs can also help rapidly gather information in areas that are difficult for people to access. As a result, low-altitude space could gradually form a new layer of economic infrastructure, connecting aircraft, data and digital platforms to create high-value-added services.

To realize this potential, a key requirement is for standards and technical regulations to ensure safety without creating unnecessary technical barriers. Developing requirements based on risk levels, harmonizing them with international standards and ensuring they can be updated as technology evolves will give businesses room to test new models.

Over the long term, once the system of standards and technical regulations is completed in a coordinated manner, UAVs will no longer be viewed solely as aircraft requiring control but also as technology capable of opening new markets. For Vietnam, this is also an opportunity for domestic businesses to participate more deeply in the UAV value chain, from research, design and manufacturing to the provision of platforms and services. Removing standards bottlenecks is therefore not simply about completing management tools; it is also about unlocking the market and laying the foundation for a safe, transparent and sustainable low-altitude economy.