The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has reported to the Ministry of Construction that an unauthorized UAV/drone entered the flight operations area of Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on August 11, disrupting more than 60 flights and raising serious aviation safety concerns.
The airport was forced to suspend operations twice on the evening of August 11 after an unauthorized flying object was detected near the airport, directly affecting flight safety.
Three flights were forced to make emergency landings after running low on fuel while holding in the air. Meanwhile, 24 flights were diverted to alternative airports and another 19 were required to remain airborne in holding patterns.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said relevant agencies responded in line with existing procedures. The airport operator coordinated ground operations, while air traffic control authorities managed flight operations. Military and police forces were responsible for verifying, intercepting, and neutralizing the drone within their jurisdiction, while the airport authority decided when to close and reopen the facility temporarily.
However, the authority noted that the detection and handling of unauthorized UAVs and drones still relies heavily on visual observation due to a lack of specialized systems capable of detecting threats, issuing early warnings, and neutralizing drones when necessary.
It called for authorities to promptly designate a lead agency to handle unauthorized UAV incursions at airports and urged investment in dedicated detection, early-warning, and counter-drone systems to reduce reliance on visual identification and manual reporting.
The authority also proposed strengthening administrative and criminal penalties against organizations and individuals that violate regulations governing the operation and use of unmanned aircraft.
