Vietnam targets $10 billion low‑altitude UAV market

Experts estimate that Vietnam's low‑altitude airspace—below 1,000 m—could generate about USD 10 billion in value and create roughly one million jobs. The “low‑altitude economy” involves UAVs, small drones, helicopters and smart control systems, forming an ecosystem of equipment, infrastructure and services.

Countries such as China, the United States, Europe and India already use UAVs for transport, agriculture, health, rescue and security. In Vietnam, the Hanoi police began a pilot in June, using domestically built UAVs to patrol traffic, detect violations, monitor congestion, and relay live video to a command centre. Ho Chi Minh City has launched delivery trials, while Dien Biên province approved a sandbox framework for about 6,000 test flights with safety levels above 99 % to support agriculture and medical transport to remote areas. Hanoi also announced the creation of a fee‑collection plan for low‑altitude space usage to fund development.

Despite the potential, industry leaders say the main barrier is the market mechanism, not technology. As noted by Dr Trần Thiên Phương, vice‑chair of the Vietnam Space and UAV Network, “Vietnam's UAV market has only moved past the technology‑demonstration stage and cannot yet operate regularly or generate stable economic benefits.”