河内空中出租车待审批，需谨慎规划航线与基础设施

Hanoi’s air taxi trial awaits city approval, with experts stressing the need for well-planned flight corridors, vertiport infrastructure, and strict safety protocols before launch.

Hanoi has not yet issued a decision permitting the trial operation of air taxis, municipal officials confirmed at a recent press conference hosted by the Hanoi People's Committee.

According to Ms. Le Thu Hien, head of the Strategy and Policy Division under the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology, relevant agencies must conduct further research, complete documentation, and fully comply with procedures outlined in Resolution No. 26/2026/NQ-HDND, issued on June 2, 2026, by the Hanoi People’s Council regarding controlled testing.

The Hanoi People's Committee will grant formal approval and complete all regulatory procedures before proceeding with the trial.

This activity is expected to be tested solely at the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park and will not yet be rolled out citywide, Ms. Hien stated.

Earlier, the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology signed a cooperation agreement with Hung Viet Technology Investment and Commerce JSC to research, conduct controlled testing, and propose a development model for the low-altitude economy, including air taxis.

Under the agreement, the two entities proposed testing the EH-216S autonomous aerial vehicle—an air taxi model—within a controlled sandbox environment. The proposed roadmap includes building an air traffic management framework for unmanned aerial systems, establishing an operational control center at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, and executing the rollout in four phases.

Commenting on the proposal, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thien Tong, former head of the Aeronautical Engineering Department at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, noted that air taxis represent a promising future direction for urban air mobility (UAM) in major cities. However, he emphasized that aviation safety must remain the top priority before any deployment.

Air taxis are autonomous, pilotless aircraft that rely on pre-programmed control systems and sensors to prevent collisions with other vehicles and ground structures. Consequently, flights must follow strictly designated routes rather than operating freely on demand.

Airways for air taxis must be planned much like an urban bus network on the ground. They are essentially "sky highways" or "sky buses" tailored for each city, where passengers arrive at designated vertiports to choose their routes, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thien Tong explained.

He added that alongside route planning, local authorities must establish dedicated landing and takeoff infrastructure at suitable locations, integrating them with ground transit such as buses and metro lines to form a seamless transport network.

Dr. Tong recommended that initial trials focus on a few clearly defined routes between fixed locations to gather data and refine operational protocols before considering broader expansion. Research should also reference international standards and learn from countries already pioneering urban air mobility.

By Nguyen Huong – Translated by Kim Khanh