The People’s Committee of northern mountainous Dien Bien Province has approved a controlled pilot program, or regulatory sandbox, for digital services and products supporting the development of the low-altitude economy with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) engaged.
The initiative is the first local sandbox model in Vietnam focused on UAV-powered low-altitude economic activities. The pilot is expected to provide practical insights and support the development of policies and regulations governing low-altitude airspace and drone-based services.
State-owned postal operator Vietnam Post will lead the implementation and operation of the pilot program. FPT Corporation and other UAV manufacturers will provide technical support, drone equipment, software platforms and flight-control solutions.
The trial will run from the date the decision takes effect until May 31, 2027, covering four key sectors: agriculture, logistics, healthcare and digital mapping.
Planned activities include the transportation of agricultural products, farming supplies, medicines, medical equipment, laboratory samples and essential goods. In agriculture, UAVs will be used for seeding, crop spraying, fertilizer application, crop monitoring and pest detection. The program will also support topographic surveys, digital mapping and the creation of digital elevation models (DEM).
Dien Bien aims to conduct approximately 6,000 UAV flights during the pilot period while maintaining a flight safety rate of more than 99%.
Local authorities expect the initiative to help evaluate the effectiveness of UAV technology in remote and mountainous areas while laying the groundwork for broader development of Vietnam’s emerging low-altitude economy.
Google translate