The figures were disclosed by To Tu Ha, deputy general director of Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), during a seminar titled From drones to kites: aviation safety challenges in urban areas, organised by Tuoi Tre newspaper on August 21.
To Tu Ha, deputy general director of Airports Corporation of Vietnam (Photo: Quang Dinh/TT)
According to Ha, Vietnam has recorded around 28 incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones that have affected civil aviation operations. In several cases, aircraft were forced to divert, land at alternative airports or suspend operations temporarily.
Among recent incidents, the UAV sighting near Tan Son Nhat was the most serious, causing flight operations to be interrupted twice.
The disruption affected 56 flights, including 24 diversions, 18 aircraft placed in holding patterns and 14 departures delayed on the ground.
Tan Son Nhat is Vietnam's busiest airport. ACV data show that during peak periods the airport has handled more than 1,000 flights a day, with traffic reaching as many as 48 flights an hour. During the 2026 Lunar New Year travel season, the airport is expected to handle up to 1,025 flights and 145,000 passengers on its busiest day.
For an airport operating at such intensity, a disruption of around 60 minutes is significant, Ha said.
“The damage is not limited to aircraft waiting in the air or on the ground. It can trigger a chain reaction throughout the aviation network,” he said.
“Even a very short incident can have very serious consequences.”
Cao Vu Minh, an associate professor at the University of Economics and Law under Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, estimated that the disruption of a single flight could result in losses worth tens of billions of dong.
He argued that penalties for illegally operating drones remain disproportionately low compared with the potential damage caused.
“In addition to financial penalties, authorities should strengthen the use of supplementary sanctions, including confiscation of UAVs,” Minh said.
“Flying without authorisation, ignoring orders from competent authorities and obstructing aircraft operations are extremely dangerous acts. If violators are only fined and their drones are not confiscated, they can simply continue using them afterwards.”
Minh called for tougher penalties and mandatory confiscation of equipment in serious cases.
On preventive measures, Ha said ACV had worked with Viettel to test UAV detection systems at Danang International Airport, with encouraging initial results. Police forces have also begun deploying specialised equipment to detect and respond to drone-related incidents.
ACV has urged authorities to strengthen regulations and establish clearer coordination mechanisms among airports, police, the military and local governments. The corporation also called for more warning signs, increased patrols around sensitive areas and greater public awareness of no-fly and restricted zones near airports.
