Chairman Le Tan Toi of the National Assembly's Defense and Security Committee reported on the clarification, adoption, and amendment of the draft law.
Regarding the terms “unmanned aerial vehicle” (also known as drone) and “ultralight aircraft”, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly has revised these terms to ensure they are comprehensive and inclusive of future unmanned aerial vehicles such as air taxis and flying motorcycles.
Additionally, the term “ultralight” has been removed, and the definition was restructured to enumerate specific categories including balloons, model aircraft, paragliders, and kites.
The draft stipulates that the Ministry of Industry and Trade will manage the import, export, temporary import, and temporary export of unmanned aerial vehicles and other aircraft. However, given that this constitutes a conditional business sector, it requires a joint document from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security.
The Ministry of National Defense bears the responsibility for issuing flight permits or delegating such authority to its subordinate units for unmanned aircraft and other aerial vehicles. The Ministry will establish a hierarchical authorization system based on vehicle classification, altitude restrictions, and operational characteristics, delegating permitting authority to Military Zone Commands, Hanoi Command, Ho Chi Minh City Command, and Provincial Military Commands.
The Ministry of Public Security retains the authority to issue flight permits for unmanned aircraft and other aerial vehicles under its jurisdiction, with the stipulation that such authorizations must be communicated to the Ministry of National Defense for airspace management in accordance with established regulations.
