Ministry of National Defense announces prohibited and restricted areas for UAV and flycam flights nationwide

From today (June 15), the Ministry of National Defense officially announced no-fly zones and restricted-flight zones for drones and other flying vehicles in Vietnam's airspace on the Ministry of National Defense's Electronic Information Portal.

Local websites or portals use the link on the Ministry of National Defense's Electronic Information Portal to announce no-fly zones and restricted-flight zones within their administrative boundaries.

The database of maps of no-fly zones and restricted-flight zones is managed according to the provisions of the law on protecting State secrets and is updated every two years or immediately when there are changes (focusing on the subjects of airports, airfields, important defense and security areas and other areas as required).

In the map data, the no-fly zone is divided into 2 separate color zones showing the no-fly and restricted-fly zones of 63 provinces and cities.

Procedures for granting flight permits for drones and other flying vehicles can be done online through the Ministry of National Defense's Administrative Procedure Information System.

The application for a flight license includes: an application for a flight license; photos of the aircraft or flying vehicle (minimum size 18 x 24 cm); aeronautical technical description of the aircraft or flying vehicle; a license or legal authorization allowing the aircraft or flying vehicle to take off or land at the airport, on land or on water; other papers and documents related to the aircraft or flying vehicle.

At least 7 working days before the scheduled date of flight, organizations and individuals must submit flight permit applications to the Operations Department, General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army.

The Operations Department grants licenses to organize flights; or issues documents refusing to grant flight licenses (in cases to ensure security, national defense, aviation safety and when not providing full information as prescribed in the flight license application).

According to the Law on People's Air Defense, an unmanned aircraft is an aircraft whose flight control and maintenance does not require direct control by a pilot on that aircraft. Other aircraft include balloons, flying models, parachutes, kites (except for folk kites) and other piloted or unpiloted flying devices that are not aircraft or unmanned aircraft.

Organizations and individuals exploiting and using this type of vehicle must have a flight license and must be approved by the state management agency when flying. The person directly controlling the drone or ultralight aircraft must be 18 years of age or older, have full civil capacity and have knowledge of aviation.