Updated August 2026

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. Drone regulations can change, so check the current requirements before flying.

If you’re a photographer planning to bring a drone to Vietnam, the rules have become considerably more complicated.

Vietnam has tightened its regulation of drones and other unmanned aircraft, with Decree 288/2025/NĐ-CP establishing the current framework for management of unmanned aircraft and other aerial vehicles. Circular 78/2026/TT-BCA, which took effect in July 2026, added important procedures concerning drone registration and identification.

The practical advice in this article is based on the current regulations and my own experience photographing in Vietnam.

1. Bringing Your Drone Into Vietnam

Before worrying about where you can fly, there is a more basic question:

Can you legally bring your drone into Vietnam?

This is a separate issue from whether you are allowed to fly it.

Vietnamese law specifically regulates the import, export, temporary import for re-export, and temporary export for re-import of unmanned aircraft. Decree 288/2025 states that these activities must comply with Vietnamese law and applicable treaties.

That is important for photographers because most visitors aren’t trying to permanently import a drone into Vietnam. They are bringing their own drone for a holiday and intend to take it home again.

Do tourists have to declare their drone at customs?

I would be careful with this question because customs declaration and drone import licensing are not necessarily the same thing.

Vietnam’s general customs rules state that passengers are not required to make a customs declaration when they have no luggage exceeding the applicable duty-free allowance or other luggage requiring declaration.

At the same time, unmanned aircraft are subject to a separate regulatory framework governing import and temporary import/re-export.

If you are bringing a drone temporarily into Vietnam, you should check the current requirements before travelling, particularly if your drone is being imported under a temporary-import arrangement or you are carrying equipment of significant value.

If you are unsure at the airport, ask Customs rather than assuming that because the drone fits inside your camera bag it is automatically exempt from all import requirements.

Keep your ownership documents

This is particularly important because the current registration system can require proof of lawful ownership.

For example, the current procedures for foreign residents registering a UAV can require an import licence and customs declaration where the UAV was imported, or other documents proving lawful ownership in other circumstances.

For a photographer travelling internationally with an expensive drone, I would therefore keep:

Your purchase receipt or invoice
The drone’s serial number
Proof of ownership
Any import/customs documentation you receive
Copies of any Vietnamese registration or flight authorization

Getting the drone into Vietnam is not permission to fly it

This is the most important distinction in the entire article:

Customs clearance, drone registration and permission to fly are three different things.

Successfully bringing your DJI Mini into Vietnam does not mean you can legally launch it.

2. Do You Need to Register Your Drone?

Vietnam now has a formal UAV registration system.

Decree 288/2025 establishes registration requirements for unmanned aircraft, while Circular 78/2026 sets out current procedures for registration, including procedures applicable to UAVs owned by foreigners residing in Vietnam.

What about drones under 250 grams?

This is one of the most confusing areas for photographers.

The regulations distinguish between aircraft below and above 250 grams maximum takeoff weight, and different requirements can apply depending on the aircraft and operation.

The important thing is:

Do not interpret “under 250g” as “completely exempt from Vietnam’s drone regulations.”

A DJI Mini may be below the 250g threshold, but that doesn’t automatically give you permission to fly it wherever you want.

The weight of the drone is only one part of the regulatory picture. Location, airspace restrictions, the purpose of the flight and the operator’s circumstances can also matter.

So if you are thinking:

“It’s a Mini 4 Pro, so I’m under 250g and don’t need to worry.”

I would not rely on that assumption.

3. What About Foreign Tourists?

This is where the situation becomes particularly difficult for international photographers.

The current rules specifically provide a registration pathway for foreigners residing in Vietnam. Circular 78/2026 places registration of UAVs owned by foreign residents with provincial-level Departments of Public Security from July 20, 2026.

Foreign residents also have specific requirements concerning the operation of their UAVs, including having a Vietnamese agency, organization or individual act as a guarantor.

That is quite different from being a tourist visiting Vietnam for two or three weeks.

If you’re a tourist

For a short-term visitor, I would not assume that you can simply arrive with a drone, register it after landing and start flying.

The registration and authorization process is not designed like a simple tourist drone permit available at the airport.

If aerial photography is an important part of your trip, I would investigate the requirements before travelling.

An even simpler option is to use a Vietnamese photography operator that explicitly arranges drone permits for particular locations.

4. Registration Is Not the Same as a Flight Permit

This distinction is critical.

Even if your drone is properly registered, that does not automatically mean you can fly it anywhere in Vietnam.

Vietnam has separate requirements concerning flight operations and restricted/prohibited airspace.

Depending on the aircraft and circumstances of the flight, a flight permit may be required.

The application and approval process can involve information about the proposed flight area, timing and other details.

Think of it this way:

Registered drone ≠ permission to fly anywhere

And:

Permission to fly one location ≠ permission to fly everywhere on your trip

If someone tells you:

“My drone is registered, so I’m legal.”

That doesn’t necessarily answer the question.

You need to know where, when and under what conditions the drone is authorized to fly.

5. Check the Official Restricted-Airspace Map

Check the current official restricted and prohibited airspace information before planning any flight.

The Ministry of National Defence maintains the official system for designated restricted and prohibited areas.

This is particularly important around:

Airports
Military installations
Security facilities
National defence areas
International borders
Other designated restricted areas

Do not rely solely on DJI’s software or geofencing.

DJI’s map is not the Vietnamese government’s legal airspace map.

The fact that your DJI drone allows you to take off does not mean that Vietnamese authorities permit you to fly there.

6. Where Should Photographers Definitely Be Cautious?

There are some locations where I would simply leave the drone in the bag unless I had confirmed permission.

Airports

Don’t fly near an airport unless you have specifically established that the proposed flight is permitted.

Vietnamese aviation authorities continue to report unauthorized UAV activity around airports and have increased coordination to deal with it. In March 2026, the Civil Aviation Authority specifically reported unauthorized UAV operations around airports including Da Nang and Cat Bi.

Cities

I would not plan to fly over major cities, downtown areas or crowded locations.

Even if you see other drones flying, that doesn’t establish that their flights are legal.

Crowds and Events

Large gatherings and events are particularly poor places to experiment with an unapproved drone.

Apart from the legal issues, a drone failure over a crowd is an obvious safety problem.

Border Areas

This is one of the biggest concerns for landscape photographers in northern Vietnam. Vietnam is very protective of their international border zones, particularly the China border. So that means much of Lai Chau, Lao Chai (Sapa area), Ha Giang (including Hoang Su Phi), and Cao Bang have wide restricte dflight areas.

To give you an idea of how restrictive things are getting, currently, you can’t even get a permit for the Ban Gioc area. So any drone they observe will be flying illegally in there.

To protect the border zone, Vietnam also created a dedicated Department of Unmanned Vehicles (Cục Phương tiện không người lái) within the Ministry of Defence in 2026, another indication of how seriously UAV management and counter-UAV capabilities are now being treated.

7. The 250g Question for Photographers

The popularity of DJI Mini drones has created a common misconception.

Because many DJI Mini models are under 250 grams, photographers sometimes assume:

“Under 250g means I can fly without a permit.”

That’s not a safe interpretation.

The 250g threshold does matter under Vietnamese regulations, and lighter aircraft can be subject to different requirements.

But it does not eliminate the need to consider:

Where you are flying
Whether the airspace is restricted
Whether registration applies
Whether a flight permit is required
What you are using the drone for
Whether you are a Vietnamese citizen, foreign resident or tourist

So I would treat a sub-250g drone as easier to operate legally, not as automatically legal everywhere.

8. Current Fines for Drone Violations

The current administrative penalty framework provides substantial fines for a number of drone violations.

Examples include:

Violation	Potential administrative fine
Certain registration/authorization violations	2–3 million VND
Aerial photography or filming without permission	8–9 million VND
Violating the conditions of a flight permit	9–12 million VND
Certain failures to comply with flight-management instructions	12–15 million VND
Operating without a required flight permit	20–30 million VND
Interfering with or endangering another aircraft	30–40 million VND

These are examples rather than a universal fine schedule for every incident. The actual penalty depends on the specific violation and circumstances.

There can also be additional consequences in applicable circumstances, including confiscation of equipment.

The important takeaway is simple:

A drone violation can become an expensive problem very quickly.

9. Photography and Filming Are Specifically Relevant

Photographers should pay particular attention to the rules concerning aerial photography.

The current administrative framework provides for fines of 8–9 million VND for aerial photography or filming without permission.

That matters because photography is exactly what most of us are using a drone for.

Don’t assume that because you aren’t operating commercially, you don’t need to worry about permission.

If the purpose of the flight is to capture aerial photographs or video, that is something the regulations specifically address.

10. What Enforcement Is Like in the Real World

This is where things become more complicated.

You will see drones everywhere in Vietnam.

There are thousands of aerial photographs and videos of Vietnam online, and you will frequently see people flying drones at tourist attractions.

Some of those flights were undoubtedly legal.

Others may not have been.

The important thing is:

You cannot determine whether a flight is legal simply by looking at someone else flying a drone.

They may have a permit.

They may have registered their aircraft.

They may be flying under an authorization that you don’t have.

Or they may simply be breaking the rules.

Don’t use someone else’s drone flight as your legal precedent.

11. My Experience in Cao Bang

I’ve personally seen a significant difference in how drones are treated in different parts of Vietnam.

The Phong Nam Valley in Cao Bang is one example.

In my experience, border personnel actively watch for drones in the area, including using binoculars to look for aircraft.

This is particularly relevant for photographers because the valley is an obvious location for aerial photography.

And don’t assume sunrise is a safe time to fly.

Photographers naturally want to fly at first light, and in areas where authorities are actively watching for drones, they know this is when photographers are most likely to launch.

In my experience, personnel can be out early in the morning when photographers are arriving for sunrise.

If someone in uniform tells you to land your drone, land it immediately.

This isn’t the time to argue about whether your drone is under 250g or whether you saw someone else flying one.

12. Locations Where I Would Be Especially Careful

This isn’t a complete list of prohibited areas.

It is simply a list of locations where I personally would not launch a drone without confirming that the specific flight is permitted:

Airports and airport approaches
Ban Gioc Falls and surrounding border areas
Phong Nam Valley
Other international border areas
Military facilities
Security installations
Major cities
Large events and crowded areas
Any location shown as prohibited or restricted on the official airspace map

The exact boundaries and restrictions can change, so always check the current official information rather than relying on an old list.

13. What About Rural Rice Fields?

This is probably the question photographers really want answered.

What if you’re standing in the middle of a rice field, miles from an airport, city or border?

The practical risk may be considerably lower.

But:

Lower enforcement risk is not the same as legal permission.

I would therefore avoid telling photographers that an unregistered sub-250g drone is “safe” to fly in rural Vietnam.

Instead:

Check the location first.

If the location is outside restricted airspace and you have confirmed that your aircraft and intended operation meet the applicable requirements, you’re obviously in a much better position than someone launching beside an airport or border facility.

But don’t confuse the absence of enforcement with permission.

14. The Best Option for Serious Drone Photography

If aerial photography is an important part of your Vietnam trip, my recommendation is straightforward:

Use a photography tour operator that explicitly arranges the necessary drone permissions.

There are photography operators in Vietnam that advertise drone photography and permit arrangements.

For example, Vietnam Photo Tours / Tran Tuan Viet advertises photography tours where drone permits are arranged, including tours involving Mù Cang Chai. Their private-tour information also discusses drone permits and requests the drone serial number as part of the process.

Shutter Adventures Co. also advertises Vietnam photography tours where a drone permit can be arranged as an additional option.

Other Vietnamese photography and tour operators advertise drone photography as part of specific itineraries.

But there is an important qualification:

A tour operator’s drone permit does not necessarily cover every location on the itinerary.

Ask exactly what the authorization covers.

For example:

Which location?
Which date?
Which time?
What altitude?
What flight area?
What type of photography?
Whose name is the authorization issued under?

This is particularly important in border areas such as Cao Bang.

A permit for one scenic location should not be interpreted as permission to fly freely throughout the surrounding province.

15. My Advice to Photographers Visiting Vietnam

If you’re coming to Vietnam primarily for photography, this is how I would approach drones.

1. Check the rules before you travel

Don’t wait until you’re standing at the airport with a drone in your bag.

The rules concerning import, registration and flight authorization are separate issues.

2. Keep your documentation

Carry your purchase receipt, serial number and any customs, registration or permit documentation associated with the drone.

3. Don’t assume sub-250g means unrestricted

A DJI Mini is not a universal exemption from Vietnam’s drone regulations.

4. Check the official airspace map

Don’t rely on DJI’s geofencing or what another photographer tells you.

5. Treat border areas differently

If you’re photographing near an international border, assume that authorities may take a much greater interest in your drone.

6. Don’t rely on what other people are doing

Someone else flying a drone doesn’t make your flight legal.

7. If you’re a tourist, investigate permits before arriving

The current registration system specifically addresses foreign residents. A short-term tourist should not assume that they can simply register a drone after arrival.

8. Consider a photography tour operator

If aerial photography is important to your trip, a local operator that actually arranges permits may save you considerable hassle.

9. Know exactly what your permit covers

A permit for one location isn’t necessarily a permit for the entire trip.

10. If authorities tell you to land, land

Don’t argue while the drone is in the air.

Bottom Line

Vietnam is an incredible country for aerial photography.

The rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, the karst landscapes of Ninh Bình, the Mekong Delta and the mountains of northern Vietnam can all produce spectacular drone images.

But the regulatory environment has changed significantly.

The days of simply buying a DJI Mini, putting it in your camera bag and assuming you can launch it wherever the scenery looks good are gone.

For photographers, there are now three separate questions:

Can I bring the drone into Vietnam?

Is the drone properly registered or otherwise compliant with the applicable requirements?

Am I actually permitted to fly it at this particular location and time?

Don’t confuse one with another.

If you’re a short-term visitor and aerial photography is important to your trip, I would investigate the requirements before travelling or work with a reputable photography operator that can arrange the necessary permissions.

And remember that getting a drone into Vietnam is not the same thing as getting permission to fly it.

Why risk a fine, losing an expensive drone, or creating a problem with local authorities?

You are a guest in Vietnam. Respect the rules, respect the people enforcing them, and save the drone flight for somewhere you know you are allowed to fly.

Final warning

Drone regulations are changing rapidly in Vietnam. This article reflects the information available in August 2026.

Always check the current regulations and official airspace information before flying.

Drone Laws in Vietnam for Photographers