In Kill Chain: The Rise of the High Tech Assassins, Andrew Cockburn describes how Vietnam was an early operational testing ground for U.S. surveillance drones. Today, Vietnam’s Law on Civil Aviation, Article 81 Section 2b, states: “The Ministry of National Defense shall grant flight permission to Vietnamese and foreign military aircrafts operating civil flights in Viet Nam and to unmanned aircrafts.” The legislation, however, is unclear as to how it regulates smaller civilian unmanned aircraft used in the country.
Military
- In November 2012, Sweden agreed to partner with Vietnam’s Aerospace Association to produce medium-range unmanned aerial vehicles for use in defense and security-related missions. The cooperation agreement will follow through in three parts: During phase one, Sweden will fund two medium-range Magic Eye 1 drones, provide equipment, model design and technology transfer, and send experts to Vietnam.
- In May 2013, Vietnam’s Academy of Science and Technologysuccessfully tested five native unmanned aerial vehicles. The event was attended by both the Minister of National Defense and Minister of Public Security. The biggest UAV has an operational range of 62 miles, can reach a height of 990 feet, and a maximum speed of 111 miles per hour. The smallest has an operational range of 1 mile, can reach heights of 654 feet, and a maximum speed of 43 miles per hour.
- In May 2013, Vietnam announced it would buy military drones from Belarus. Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich and Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dang announced further partnerships between the two countries in the fields of science and technology and the prospect of future military collaborations.
- In July 2013, Viettel, a mobile network operatorowned by the Minister of National Defense, introduced the VT-Patrol unmanned aircraft. Following the release of the VT-Patrol, Director General Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Anh revealed that Viettel aims to become one of the world’s top international investors in arms development by 2020.
- In June, Reuters reported Vietnam is in talks with European and U.S. contractorsto buy military drones as well as other aircraft in light of China’s growing presence in the South China Sea.
Vietnam produces various indigenous unmanned aerial vehicles.
- UAV. Ms1: Surveillance UAV created by the Academy of Science and Technology. This UAV has a wingspan of 4 ft and a flight endurance of 1 hour. It can handle payloads of specialized cameras for surveillance purposes.
- UAV. S1: Surveillance UAV created by the Academy of Science and Technology. This UAV has a wingspan of 9 ft and a flight endurance of 2 hour. It can handle payloads of specialized cameras for surveillance purposes.
- UAV. S3: Surveillance UAV created by the Academy of Science and Technology. This UAV has a wingspan of 11 ft and a flight endurance of 5 hours. It can handle payloads of specialized cameras for surveillance purposes.
- UAV. S4: Surveillance UAV created by the Academy of Science and Technology. This UAV has a wingspan of 16 feet and a flight endurance of 6 hours. It can handle payloads of specialized cameras for surveillance purposes.
- VT-Patrol UAV: Surveillance UAV produced by Viettel corporations. This UAV has a wingspan of 10 ft and a flight endurance of 15-24 hours. It can handle payloads of infrared cameras and can transmit information in real time and recognize a human target 2,000 ft away. Viettel has plans to arm this vehicle with missiles in the future.
Civilian/Commercial
- A drone video posted to DJI’s Youtube channel gives a sweeping aerial perspective Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Drone enthusiast Ryan Deboodt made a popular video of Vietnam’s Hang Son Doong cave, the largest cave in the world.