A memorandum of understanding was signed between Vietnam’s CT Group and an emerging South Korean drone technology company during the Vietnam-Korea Economic Forum in Seoul, witnessed by General Secretary To Lam and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min Seok.

This milestone highlights Vietnam’s mastery of all core UAV technologies and reinforces its strategic role on the global tech map. UAVs are now among the most critical technologies worldwide, with applications spanning from industry, urban planning, and consumer markets to military, security, and national defense.

Globally, UAVs are being rapidly deployed in passenger and cargo transport, distribution, agriculture, forestry, healthcare, surveillance, rescue, firefighting, tourism, security monitoring, and carbon credit tracking.

Given South Korea’s status as a global technology hub, winning an order for unmanned cargo aircraft in such a demanding market demonstrates the strength of Vietnamese enterprises and opens the door for CT Group to expand to other countries.

Heavy-duty cargo UAVs produced by CT UAV (a CT Group subsidiary) can carry loads from 60 to 300 kg, with a localization rate of up to 85% and proprietary Vietnamese technology that has earned high praise from international partners, including South Korea.

Self-sufficiency in semiconductor chip design for UAVs gives CT UAV a strong competitive edge. This achievement shows Vietnam is ready to compete in high-level technology fields, boosting its economy and international reputation.

Vietnam’s mastery of UAV technology signals a shift into an era of spatial automation, where flying robots can drive a new level of social productivity. Nations with more specialized UAVs will have advantages not only economically and socially but across all sectors.

CT Group’s UAVs integrate artificial intelligence, enabling self-learning and decision-making. These capabilities will advance further as AI development environments expand. Combining semiconductor technology with geolocation networks and specialized UAV systems for digital transformation across land, cities, waterways, plains, forests, and mountains, CT Group is building a robust technical foundation for Vietnam’s comprehensive digitalization.

Alongside the 5,000 UAV order, CT Group also secured an ATP contract to export 100 million semiconductor chips to a South Korean partner. Entering the semiconductor field - a domain dominated by a handful of developed nations - underscores Vietnam’s ambition and capacity to tackle the most complex tech sectors.

Other Vietnamese tech companies, such as Viettel, are also investing in UAV production, including dual-use drones for the “low-altitude economic ecosystem” that could incorporate both unmanned and manned aerial vehicles for economic and defense purposes. Viettel and FPT are also targeting the semiconductor industry, with FPT Semiconductor already receiving international orders for 70 million chips, mainly PMICs and IoT chips, for medical devices and electronics. Designed in Vietnam, these chips are manufactured in South Korea and packaged in Taiwan (China).

Previously, Vietnam mostly imported UAVs or produced them on a small scale for testing. Mastering design, manufacturing, and international distribution shows Vietnamese firms now meet R&D standards, integrating sensors, AI, and advanced flight control systems on par with developed nations.

Export-grade UAVs must meet strict global standards for durability, safety, anti-jamming, and control software - aligning Vietnam’s defense-tech industry with NATO, ICAO, and other international benchmarks. This confirms Vietnam’s entry into the club of nations producing UAVs at a commercial scale, transitioning from assembly to innovation and export leadership.

Thai Khang