Proposal not to require 18 year olds to fly drones

The National Defense and Security Committee proposed not to require people to be 18 years old to fly drones to suit reality, ensuring harmony between national defense interests and socio-economic development.

On the afternoon of April 1, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave its opinion on the draft Law on People's Air Defense. The Ministry of National Defense (the drafting agency) said that unmanned aircraft are flying devices that do not require direct control by pilots or flight crews. Ultralight flying vehicles include flycams (flying vehicles with cameras that are remotely controlled); balloons and flying models with engines that are controlled or pre-programmed.

Nowadays, high-tech weapons are being researched and designed with great leaps in quality and technical and tactical features. Among them, unmanned aircraft, ultra-light aircraft, and UAVs are increasingly being used widely, changing traditional combat methods. Some countries are researching UAVs to be used in military operations to conduct war with flexibility and high destructive capacity.

In Vietnam, the exploitation and use of unmanned aerial vehicles is becoming more and more popular and diverse. Violations tend to be complicated, posing a threat to national defense, security, and aviation safety. Therefore, the Ministry of National Defense proposes that operators of unmanned aircraft and ultralight aircraft such as flycams must be at least 18 years old and be trained and certified.

Organizations and individuals organizing flight activities must submit a license application including an application; technical documents on the aircraft, including photos and a description of technical features; a license or legal authorization allowing the aircraft or aircraft to take off and land at airports, areas on land or water.

Players in Hanoi use a model of an ultra-light aircraft. Photo: Pham Chieu — Players in Hanoi use a model of an ultra-light aircraft. Photo: *Pham Chieu*

Representative of the inspection agency, Chairman of the National Defense and Security Committee Le Tan Toi suggested considering the content "the operator must be 18 years of age or older and have been trained in aviation knowledge". The reason is that unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used in agriculture, forestry, information and communication, cinema, and entertainment.

"To harmonize national defense and security interests and socio-economic development, the Committee proposes to regulate in the direction of applying appropriate age limits for each type of equipment and flying vehicle," said Mr. Toi.

According to current regulations, only people over 18 years old have full civil capacity. However, Decree No. 36/2008 on the management of unmanned aircraft and ultralight aircraft does not have specific regulations on the age and qualifications of the vehicle operators. Some members also said that the condition of "must have knowledge of aviation" is not clear, which may create procedures and requirements for training and certification.

The People's Air Defense Bill will be submitted to the National Assembly for first comments at the mid-2024 session.

Son Ha

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