●●○○Moderate· fine / confiscation
Drones & photography.
Drones need a permit, and some places — military, airports, borders — you simply don't photograph.
The rule, in plain English
Flying any drone in Vietnam legally requires a prior permit from the Ministry of Defence — there is no casual recreational allowance. Hard no-fly zones include within 8 km of any airport, plus military, government and border areas. Separately, never photograph military installations, personnel or restricted sites, even from the ground.
What's banned vs allowed
Flying within 8 km of any airport is a hard no-fly zone.
No drones over military, government or border areas — and no photos of them either.
Any drone flight needs a prior Ministry of Defence permit; allow ~30 days.
Don't photograph military installations, personnel or checkpoints, ever.
Ordinary tourist photography of streets, food and landscapes is fine.
How to stay legal
- 1Check the no-fly map for your location before every flight.
- 2Apply for a Ministry of Defence permit roughly 30 days ahead.
- 3Arrange a Vietnamese sponsor (tour operator or production company).
- 4Carry the permit and your passport whenever you fly; keep line-of-sight, under 120m, daytime only.
If you break this rule
- Your drone is confiscated on the spot.
- Fines run roughly 1–30M VND depending on location and sensitivity.
- Footage may be deleted and you may be questioned near military zones.
§ Decree 36/2008/NĐ-CP + Circular 35/2017/TT-BQP· Reviewed by lawyers·Verified Jun 2026
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