Vietnam Drone Laws 2026: A Filmmaker’s Guide

From 20 July 2026, every drone in Vietnam must carry an ID code on its body, much like a car licence plate. Since 1 July 2026, pilots also need an operator certificate and each flight must be registered in advance. This guide breaks the new rules down for film crews: what to prepare so the aerial shots in your project stay legal. Compiled by CINEFY from the original legal texts and from years of arranging flight permits for shoots in Da Nang.

The three deadlines every filmmaker should remember

Vietnam’s new drone framework sits in four documents: the 2024 Law on People’s Air Defence, Decree 288/2025/ND-CP, Circular 146/2025/TT-BQP on pilot training, and Circular 78/2026/TT-BCA on registration and ID codes. For working crews, it all comes down to three dates. The era of pulling a drone out of a backpack and just flying is officially over.

What is the drone ID code, and why does it work like a licence plate?

Under Circular 78/2026/TT-BCA, from 20 July 2026 each aircraft is issued an ID code made up of a vehicle group symbol, four digits from 0001 to 9999, and a suffix: TN for domestic aircraft or NN for those owned by foreign organisations and individuals. Alongside the code, an electronic stamp or an integrated electronic device carrying the registration number must be fitted to the drone as a mandatory step of registration (LuatVietnam).

Registration is handled by the provincial police; drones under 2kg may be delegated to commune-level police under Article 8. One detail worth noting: owners with unresolved violations cannot register until those are settled.

So what does this mean for your shoot? Every aircraft on the gear list needs its ID code before the first shooting day. Register early rather than close to the schedule: a drone without its “plate” means the aerial scenes in your script have no legal aircraft to fly them.

Drone shoots before and after the new rules

Penalties now have a clear framework too. Under Decree 282/2025/ND-CP, in force since 15 December 2025: flying an unregistered or unpermitted drone, or flying outside the approved area or time, carries a fine of 2 to 3 million VND. Aerial filming or photography without approval: 8 to 9 million VND, the bracket that lands squarely on image-makers. Organising unlicensed flight operations: 20 to 30 million VND. Obstructing aviation safety: 30 to 40 million VND. Authorities can also confiscate the aircraft and suspend the flight permit for 3 to 6 months, and organisations pay double the individual rate (VOV Giao thong).

So what does this mean for your shoot? Compliance is now a budget line, like gear insurance. It is far cheaper than a shoot stopped halfway with a citation and a grounded drone.

The legal-flight checklist for a 2026 shoot

This is the part worth printing and taping to the drone case. Before any shoot day involving a drone, run through the list:

• The aircraft is registered, with its ID code and flight tracking tag fitted to the body (mandatory from 20 July 2026).
• The pilot is 18 or older and holds a class A or B operator certificate, completely sober: no alcohol, no stimulants.
• The flight operation is registered for the correct area, time window and route matching the shooting plan.
• Drones of 250g or more, or any flight in a restricted zone: the flight permit from the Department of Operations is in hand before the shoot day.
• Drones under 250g: exempt from the flight permit outside prohibited and restricted zones (Bao Quang Ninh), but registration of the aircraft itself still applies.
• No-fly zones checked: airports, military areas, key government sites, large crowds.
• A plan B exists, a gimbal or crane setup for the shots that do not get flight approval.

On CINEFY’s TVC and corporate film jobs with aerial scenes, our producer locks the flight route during the location recce and files the permit paperwork 15 to 30 working days ahead. The reason is simple: the permit states the exact area, hours and route, so a last-minute scene change means starting the application again.

What should you know about drone filming in Da Nang?

Da Nang is one of the few cities that fits ocean, river, mountains and skyline into a single aerial frame, but its airspace is also busier with rules than most:

• The international airport sits in the middle of the city. Much of the downtown area falls under airport-related airspace management, so never assume the Han riverfront is free to fly.
• Son Tra Peninsula is both a nature reserve and home to military zones: it needs separate approval and not every angle gets cleared.
• The My Khe coastal corridor towards Marble Mountains is the classic beauty run, and it still has to be flown in exactly the area and hours stated on the permit.

A small tip from our own shoots: the sunset window around the Dragon Bridge and the east bank of the Han River gets crowded with recreational drones, so professional crews should favour early mornings, easier to keep safe and the light is just as good. The full location list lives in our guide to the best filming locations in Da Nang.

What about international crews flying drones in Vietnam?

Article 7 of Circular 78/2026/TT-BCA opens a clearly marked door: foreigners with permanent or temporary residence in Vietnam may register aircraft. For international productions shooting in Vietnam, this is the first time the official route is written directly into the rules.

In practice, the paperwork is in Vietnamese, spread across the provincial police and the Department of Operations, with approval lead times on top, which is why most foreign crews route it through a local production partner. CINEFY has been handling flight permits for international clients as a production service company in Da Nang for years; under the new rules that scope simply grows to include aircraft registration and ID codes, while the visiting crew stays focused on the creative work.

Renting a drone with a pilot: the shortest legal route

As class A and B certificates become the professional standard, certified drone pilots will be in demand and their calendars will fill early. Day rates for pilot-plus-aircraft packages are likely to edge up as well. The practical advice: book your pilot the moment your shoot dates are locked, and stop treating aerials as a detail to sort out later.

If you do not hold a certificate yourself, the fastest option is renting the aircraft with a pilot attached. CINEFY rents set-proven drones such as the DJI Inspire 3, DJI Mavic 3 Pro and DJI Mini 4 Pro with a pilot, and helps with the permit side, through our drone rental service in Da Nang. The full guide to locations and procedures is in our updated article on drone filming in Vietnam.

Sources: Circular 78/2026/TT-BCA, Decree 288/2025/ND-CP, Thu Vien Phap Luat analysis of the ID code rules, LuatVietnam, Hoc Vien Drone on the certificate requirement, VOV Giao thong on penalty levels.