A drone intrusion that disrupted flight operations at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City has prompted Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc to order a government crackdown on violations involving drones and other objects that could affect aviation safety.
The Government Office has issued a document conveying his directives to strengthen the management and oversight of drones, with the Ministry of Public Security tasked with leading the investigation and strictly handling violations in accordance with the law.
The Permanent Deputy Prime Minister directed the Ministries of Public Security, National Defence, Construction, Finance, Industry and Trade, and Science and Technology, as well as provincial and municipal People's Committees and relevant agencies, to urgently study and address recommendations raised by the press or propose solutions to competent authorities for matters exceeding their own jurisdiction. These actions aim to ensure national defense, security, and social order, as well as aviation safety and security.
The Ministry of Public Security has been assigned to lead the investigation and strictly handle, in accordance with the law, violations involving the use of drones and other objects that have recently impacted flight operations at airports and airfields. Concurrently, the Ministry must urgently study and immediately implement countermeasures against the illegal use of drones to intrude into critical areas, no-fly zones, and airports, thereby preventing similar incidents in the future.
The Ministry of National Defence is tasked with leading efforts to strengthen management over domestic facilities that research, design, and manufacture drones, as well as overseeing drone usage through the issuance of flight permits and operator licenses. Simultaneously, authorities must review and require registration from organizations and individuals owning unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aiming to ensure that by 2030, all domestic UAVs are digitally identified, electronically licensed, and subject to real-time flight tracking.
The Ministry of National Defence will publicly announce UAV no-fly zones to ensure operators are aware of and comply with airspace restrictions. It will also review and strengthen regulations governing the import and temporary import for re-export of UAVs.
The Ministry of Science and Technology is tasked with leading the development of technical and technological standards for the manufacturing, repair, maintenance, and testing of UAVs; it must also research and mandate integrated solutions and technologies—such as geofencing for no-fly zones—within UAVs to automatically and effectively prevent them from entering restricted airspace.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc also directed the People's Committees of provinces and cities to instruct competent authorities to intensify inspections and reviews within their jurisdictions, identify organizations and individuals involved in the unauthorized manufacturing, trading, ownership, or illegal use of UAVs, and strictly penalize violations in accordance with regulations.
