The Ministry of Science and Technology seeks automated solutions to keep drones out of restricted airspace

On August 12, 2026, several news agencies published articles regarding "an incident where unmanned aerial vehicles penetrated airspace, disrupting flight operations at Tan Son Nhat Airport". Concerning this matter, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc directed as follows:

The Ministries of Public Security, National Defence, Construction, Finance, Industry and Trade, and Science and Technology, along with the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities, and other relevant agencies, shall act in accordance with their roles and responsibilities.

They must urgently research and address the aforementioned issues reported by the media under their authority, or submit proposals to competent authorities regarding matters beyond their jurisdiction, to ensure national defense, security, social order, and aviation safety and security, with a focus on the following key tasks:

Investigate and strictly handle violations

The Ministry of Public Security shall take the lead in coordinating with ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and cities, and relevant agencies to:

- Investigate and take strict legal action against all violations involving the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and other airborne objects that affected flight operations at airports and airfields in recent times.

- Urgently research and immediately deploy operational plans to counter the illegal penetration of unmanned aerial vehicles into key areas, no-fly zones, airports, and airfields, preventing similar incidents from recurring.

- Finalize the Operational Regulations of the National Civil Aviation Security Committee; propose holding a committee meeting at the earliest date to assign specific tasks to ministries and sectors, and agree on unified plans and solutions to prevent and handle incidents related to unmanned aerial vehicles and other objects going forward.

Strive for digital identification, electronic licensing, and real-time flight path monitoring for unmanned aerial vehicles

The Ministry of National Defence will take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and cities, and relevant agencies to:

- Strengthen measures to manage domestic unmanned aerial vehicle research, design, and manufacturing facilities; manage and supervise the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles through vehicle operation licensing and vehicle flight licensing; review and require declarations from organizations and individuals owning unmanned aerial vehicles, striving to have all domestic unmanned aerial vehicles digitally identified, electronically licensed, and monitored in real time along their flight paths by 2030.

- Publicly announce no-fly zones and restricted airspace for unmanned aerial vehicles so that owning organizations and individuals are fully informed and compliant.

Fully and automatically prevent unmanned aerial vehicles from penetrating no-fly zones

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance will take the lead in coordinating with ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and cities, and relevant agencies to strengthen management measures and control sources of supply in the import, temporary import, and re-export of unmanned aerial vehicles; research, review, supplement, and finalize the conditions and regulations on importing, temporarily importing, and re-exporting unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring strict management and control over origin, categories, intended uses, and safety and security issues during operations.

The Ministry of Science and Technology will take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to formulate technical standards for manufacturing, repairing, maintaining, and testing unmanned aerial vehicles; research and prescribe solutions to synchronize no-fly zone data directly into unmanned aerial vehicles to fully and automatically block them from entering restricted airspace.

Continue focusing on finalizing the Project on "Exploitation, Management, and Protection of Low-Altitude Airspace" for submission to the Political Bureau for approval. Following this, advise, advise the CPV Committee of the Government on its effective implementation, with the ultimate goal of mastering system design and core UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technologies.

The Ministry of Construction will accelerate the drafting and submission to the Government of a Decree detailing administrative sanctions in civil aviation, thoroughly reviewing regulations on violations and penalty frameworks regarding unauthorized flights of unmanned aerial vehicles to ensure feasibility, effectiveness, and practical alignment.

Coordinate closely with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defence, and People's Committees of provinces and cities during the prevention and handling of illegal penetrations by unmanned aerial vehicles into key areas, no-fly zones, airports, and airfields.

Intensify inspections and strictly penalize the illegal manufacturing, trading, ownership, and operation of unmanned aerial vehicles

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc also directed provincial and municipal People's Committees to fully exercise their state management responsibilities at the local level, specifically requesting them to:

- Direct relevant agencies to step up inspections within their jurisdictions to detect and strictly sanction individuals and organizations that manufacture, trade, possess, or operate UAVs without proper authorization, in strict accordance with the law.

- Coordinate closely with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defence to prevent and handle illegal incursions by UAVs and other flying objects into key installations, no-fly zones, and airports within their localities.

- Enhance public awareness efforts to inform UAV operators - both organizational and individual - about no-fly zones, restricted airspace, and the regulatory framework governing UAV operations

Copyright belongs to the Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology (VJST-MOST)