Deputy Minister of National Defense Nguyen Tan Cuong stressed the necessity of the birth of the Law on People's Air Defense to answer urgent demands of protecting the country in the new context.
The draft Law on People's Air Defense has eight chapters with 55 articles. Section I of Chapter IV stipulates the import, export, temporary import, re-export, design, repair, maintenance, pilot, trading, registration, exploitation, use, suspension, confiscation, and stopping of drones and ultra-light aircraft.
Accordingly, there are four cases where competent authorities are allowed to temporarily or permanently confiscate drones and ultra-light aircraft:
- Organizing flight activities without a valid flight license;
- Purposedly flying into no-fly or restricted areas that have been warned by competent authorities, except for cases of being formally assigned; entering the area above airports, airfields, or airport neighborhoods and potentially causing unsafety for flight operation;
- Organizing flight activities to propagandize or fight against the Party and the State or to carry out illegal activities;
- Using ultra-light aircraft to transport flammable substances, explosives, biological weapons, or prohibited substances.
The draft Law clearly states the procedure to temporarily or permanently confiscate and stop drones, ultra-light aircraft breaking the law.
As stated in the report by the Government, the task of managing and protecting the sky at a height of under 5,000m is the focus of many nations. At present, drones are developed and exploited for military purposes, and have become a new combat force with high effectiveness.
In Vietnam, the use of drones and ultra-light aircraft has been quite common in various fields lately. Along with that are an increasing number of law breaking cases using these means, leading to a high threat to national defense, social security and safety, particularly in aviation.
After reviewing this content, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for National Defense and Security Le Tan Toi said that the Standing Unit of the Committee agree with the part about confiscation and stopping of drones, ultra-light aircraft as stated in the draft Law.
He proposed more consideration for consistency in legal consequences of the authority and measures to confiscate or stop these means. He also suggested the criteria to permit a person to control drones and ultra-light aircraft, saying that the subject must be from 18 years old and have sufficient aviation knowledge.
“The regulation on ‘having aviation knowledge’ is still vague, and may lead to unnecessary procedures or requirements for certificate training and issuance. In addition, there must be more detailed regulations on criteria for exemption from granting a flight license for ease of application.”
Chairman Le Tan Toi
