Vietnam Eyes UAV Industry as Key Driver of Low-Altitude Economy

Vietnam is focusing on developing the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) industry as a key driver for its low-altitude economy. Ho Chi Minh City, with its integrated strengths in urban development, industry, services, high-tech agriculture, marine economy, logistics, and diverse ecological areas, provides an ideal testing ground for UAV applications in urban management, land administration, environmental monitoring, disaster prevention and response, agriculture, logistics, and public services. Movement towards UAV utilization is also advancing across various domestic locations. In Dien Bien province, a pilot program for digital technology-based products and services using UAVs has been approved, aiming for a flight safety rate of over 99% during the trial period, demonstrating Vietnam's proactive approach to adopting innovative technologies. International cooperation in science and technology is also being pursued. The Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and AFK Sistema have agreed to promote cooperation in three strategic technology areas: green hydrogen, small satellites, and UAV systems. Furthermore, in cooperation with South Korea, an expansion of joint research programs in strategic areas such as semiconductor integrated circuits, AI, batteries, energy storage, and biotechnology has been proposed. Vietnam also aims to shorten the time for workforce development and endogenous capability building in emerging fields like quantum technology by learning from the experiences of pioneering countries such as Russia. This is part of Vietnam's strategy to enhance technological self-reliance and economic competitiveness amidst intensifying global technological competition. Additionally, Vietnam's digitalization extends to the legal profession, where in Ho Chi Minh City, creating work methods that ensure technology serves people while lawyers maintain control and responsibility for service quality is deemed particularly crucial for a metropolis with a large-scale economy and diverse legal needs. These technological innovation efforts are expected to contribute to Vietnam's economic growth and the improvement of its citizens' lives.