1:20:39 PM | 12/3/2025
At Vietnam International Low Altitude Economy Forum 2025 (VI LAEF 2025), Chief Technology Officer of FPT Corporation Vu Anh Tu argued that the low-altitude economy is creating an unprecedented opportunity for Vietnam to develop a high-tech supporting-industry ecosystem, covering UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), sensors, and chips, as well as flight-management platforms, operations services, and training. Our reporter interviewed Vu Anh Tu about the breakthrough potential of this sector.
Why is the low-altitude economy regarded as a key area for the growth of high-tech sectors?
The low-altitude economy is a completely new economic space operating below 1,000 meters, where aerospace technologies, UAVs, sensors, digital mapping, flight management, and AI converge to create value. The global market has already reached hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars and is growing at 30% annually. The low altitude aviation segment alone could reach US$700 billion by 2035. For Vietnam, with its geopolitical advantages, pro-innovation policies, and a young engineering workforce, the potential could reach US$10 billion, a significant figure.
More importantly, the low altitude economy integrates three development pillars: the digital economy, the green economy, and the knowledge economy. If Vietnam seizes this opportunity, the country could not only participate but also lead the regional low altitude economy ecosystem (LAE), substantially accelerating the growth of high-tech supporting industries.
How likely is it that the low altitude economy will give rise to a new high-tech supporting industry sector?
The low altitude economy will create not just a single sector but an entire value chain for high-tech supporting industries. While UAV manufacturing is the most visible component, it is accompanied by a wide range of supporting industries, including chips, sensors, navigation systems, airspace management platforms, 3D mapping, aerial insurance, logistics, pilot and operator training, as well as certification and maintenance services.
Initiatives such as the founding of the Low Altitude Economy Alliance (LAE) in October 2025, chaired by Nguyen Van Khoa, CEO of FPT Corporation, provide a framework to bring together businesses, research institutes, and regulators. It aims to foster thousands of supporting enterprises, create one million high-quality jobs, and generate tens of billions of U.S. dollars over the next decade. This clearly demonstrates that the low altitude economy could become the core driver of Vietnam’s high-tech supporting industries.
Can you share the most prominent applications today where UAVs and the low altitude economy are already making a concrete impact?
We are seeing many encouraging signs. In agriculture, UAVs have become essential tools for spraying and fertilizing with remarkable productivity: a single UAV can cover 67 ha per day, compared to around 1 ha per day with manual labor. The Mekong Delta is currently the largest UAV application region in the country and offers an ideal environment for international partners to conduct field trials.
In logistics, drone-delivery trials in Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Bac Ninh, and at the logistics hub in Lang Son have demonstrated the ability to shorten delivery times, reduce costs, and navigate difficult terrain - critical factors as Vietnam’s e-commerce market is projected to reach US$63 billion by 2030.
In smart cities, UAVs are deployed for traffic monitoring, infrastructure management, power line inspection, and supporting emergency response in cities such as Hanoi and urban areas like Thu Duc in Ho Chi Minh City. These developments establish the foundation for low altitude airspace management infrastructure, a vital component of a modern urban economy.
As a pioneering technology company, how does FPT position itself in the development of a high-tech ecosystem for the low altitude economy?
FPT has identified the low altitude economy as a strategic focus for 2026 to 2028. We aim to be a leading player and make a significant contribution to the development of this sector.
The low altitude economy represents not only a new aerial frontier but also a springboard for high-tech supporting industries. It can help Vietnam enter a new growth cycle driven by intelligence, technology, and multi-dimensional cooperation among the State, enterprises, universities, research institutes, and citizens.
Thank you very much!
Le Hien (Vietnam Business Forum)
Vietnamese
