Vietnam's roadmap for a low-altitude economy: drones to air taxis

Vietnam is developing a roadmap for its low-altitude economy, which involves drones and air taxis in airspace below 1,000 meters, based on a comparative study of seven jurisdictions. The study warns against copying foreign models wholesale, as no country has a fully mature system. The study found that all seven jurisdictions, including the US, China, and Europe, are behind their own implementation schedules, with five at least one year late. Vietnam has rapidly built a fragmented regulatory framework across multiple laws and ministries, but its first sandbox pilot in Dien Bien province, approved in June 2026, targets around 6,000 test flights in agriculture, logistics, and medical transport. Researchers propose a three-stage roadmap for Vietnam: first, narrow high-value pilots in agriculture and medical logistics; second, building shared data infrastructure and inter-ministerial coordination; and third, risk-managed urban air mobility with passenger air taxis only after proven safety and financial evidence.