A Dong Thap cooperative hires drone seeding for rice: 10 ha sown in 2 hours, more even than hand sowing, 30% seed saved. But the cooperative head did not know: that drone flew without a permit — and unpermitted flight can mean vehicle confiscation. Agri-drones are wonderful technology, but first they are “aircraft” under state management.
What do agri-drones do?
Seeding: sowing rice, grass, and forest seeds on difficult terrain — even, fast, seed-saving. Spraying: the most common use — map-based precision spraying cutting chemical volumes 20–30%, operators avoiding chemical contact. Monitoring: multispectral cameras assessing growth and early pest detection. Fertilizing: granular spreading over wide areas.
Flight permits: Decree 36/2008/ND-CP
Decree 36/2008/ND-CP (28/3/2008) on unmanned aircraft and ultralight vehicles requires: drone users must obtain flight permits. Applications go in at least 7 days before the planned flight; competent authorities grant or respond within 10 days of receiving complete files. Files state flight zones, altitudes, times, and purposes. Unpermitted flight is prohibited and punishable — vehicles may be confiscated.
The 7 prohibited acts (Article 14)
The decree lists 7 strictly prohibited acts, including: flying without a permit; flying into prohibited or restricted zones; flying endangering security or defense; carrying or dropping harmful objects or substances; and other airspace-management violations. For agri-drones remember: areas near airports, military zones, and dense residential areas are prohibited/restricted — rice fields near airports still need permits and altitude/zone limits.
Hiring drone services: contract essentials
When hiring drone spraying or seeding services, contracts must fix: the provider’s flight permits (who handles permitting); work standards (dosage, uniformity); compensation for mis-spraying or missed seeding; and liability insurance. Hirers cannot “look away” — if the provider flies unpermitted over your land, legal exposure can follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do sub-250g drones need permits?
Under Decree 36/2008, unmanned aircraft generally need flight permits — no weight-based exemption as in some countries. Enforcement may flex in practice, but commercial flights (hired spraying, seeding) should be permitted.
2. Where and how long for a permit?
Apply at least 7 days before flying; authorities resolve within 10 days. Frequent flyers should batch applications by period and zone rather than per-trip.
3. Any extra certification for spraying drones?
Beyond flight permits, spraying operators should be trained in chemical safety; spraying must follow pesticide-use rules (dosage, safety distances from residential areas and water sources).
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council.
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