Golden time to create a low-level economic ecosystem

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - a specific application in the low-altitude economic ecosystem, are being focused on investment and development by Vietnamese enterprises, because this is a field with rich economic potential, thereby affirming the determination to master the technology chain and apply technology to life.

Initial potentials

Low Altitude Economic Area (LAE) is a concept that refers to economic activities taking place in airspace below 1,000m, and can even extend up to 5,000m. This space, which has not been effectively exploited, has now become a fertile “new land” thanks to the technology of unmanned and piloted aircraft (UAV). Accordingly, its applications range from precision agriculture, smart logistics, environmental monitoring to telecommunications and entertainment.

Many businesses believe that, with the orientation from Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation and Decision No. 1131/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on the list of strategic technologies and strategic technology products, LAE will play an increasingly important role in the coming time.

In the world , the LAE market has reached hundreds of billions of USD, growing 30% per year and has been identified as a strategic industry by major economies such as the US, China, and Europe. China has implemented LAE development steps since 2023 with an initial scale of about 69.8 billion USD. It is forecasted that by 2025, this market size will reach over 500 billion USD.

Farmers in Thap Muoi commune, Dong Thap province experience drones serving agricultural production
Photo: HOANG HUNG

In Vietnam, the potential of LAE is estimated to reach 10 billion USD. With policies encouraging innovation, a young and dynamic workforce, Vietnam has the opportunity to become a low-end industrial center of the region. Initial positive signs of LAE in Vietnam have appeared in many fields.

UAVs have been tested for relief deliveries in Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Bac Ninh and automated deliveries in the Lang Son logistics area, helping to shorten time, reduce costs and overcome terrain limitations. These tests show the possibility of realizing low-altitude logistics, in the context of Vietnam's e-commerce forecast to reach 63 billion USD by 2030.

In addition, according to Mr. Vu Anh Tu, Technology Director of FPT Corporation, a member of the Vietnam UAV Association network, UAVs are also expected to become an effective tool in infrastructure monitoring, traffic management and improving emergency response capabilities...

Expectations to open up new economic sectors

Experts say that Vietnam is facing a “golden moment” to open up a completely new economic sector based on UAV technology. Mr. Vu Anh Tu said that the LAE ecosystem not only includes research and production of UAVs but also includes chips, sensors, flight management platforms, 3D digital maps, training and other fields. “Low-altitude economy opens up a new growth engine, where Vietnam can take off with intelligence, technology and multi-dimensional cooperation between the state - enterprises - universities - people.

“Seizing the opportunity and investing in LAE, we are promoting the three pillars of the new era: digital economy, green economy, awakening the creative potential of Vietnamese engineers and scientists and affirming Vietnam's position on the global technology map,” Mr. Vu Anh Tu emphasized.

From production practice, Mr. Tran Kim Chung, Chairman of CT Group Vietnam, said that the low-altitude space economy is not a separate industry but a comprehensive economic ecosystem, integrating both green economic and digital economic factors.

In the agricultural sector, 1 UAV can spray and monitor 67 hectares of crops per day. In the electricity sector, one hour of work by a UAV can be equivalent to 3 days of work for a line inspector. The jump in productivity is not just a few dozen percent but dozens of times, this is the key factor helping economies develop…

Mr. Tran Kim Chung believes that developing LAE in Vietnam will bring many strategic benefits, such as creating great added value because LAE reflects the ground economy into the air, covering all fields from agriculture, logistics, construction and the combination of these fields will continue to create new business models.

In addition, LAE will provide effective tools to address major national challenges such as food security, traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and climate change response. LAE is also an economy integrating many high technologies, and by mastering it, Vietnam will not only master the technology chain but also have a distinct position in the international arena.

Vietnam has established the Low-level Economic Alliance, launched on October 10, 2025, chaired by Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa, General Director of FPT Corporation. The Low-level Economic Alliance expects this new economy to promote thousands of supporting businesses, create 1 million high-quality jobs and bring tens of billions of USD to Vietnam in the next 10-15 years.

KIM THANH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thoi-diem-vang-kien-tao-he-sinh-thai-kinh-te-tam-thap-post826804.html