Why are Vietnamese drones leading the world?

In 2022, the Hera drone of RtR Company (Real-time Robotics VN) will affirm its position in the world drone village because it masters core technology with 12 features that are far superior to existing drones.

In late 2024 and early 2025, Hera participated in test flights in Alaska. Both times, Hera was the only drone to successfully perform all combat requirements in harsh windy and cold conditions from minus 250C to minus 300C. It is worth noting that Hera was invented and designed by Vietnamese engineers and manufactured in Vietnam.

Dr. Luong Viet Quoc - "father" of the world's leading Vietnamese drone line had a conversation with Thanh Nien.

Dr. Luong Viet Quoc

PHOTO: NVCC

Mastering core technology

* After the success of the Hera drone, I heard you are preparing to launch another "world-leading" drone?

We made Omni Sight Gimbal. In the world, 1 gimbal (anti-shake support device) can only carry 1 camera, limited vision (360 degree horizontal scan but cannot scan 360 vertical due to frame), only anti-shake but not smart.

Meanwhile, Omni Sight Gimbal is like a gecko's eye, each eye can rotate vertically, horizontally, and see 360 degrees. It has a "brain" that can coordinate 2 eyes. Provides twice the field of view compared to all existing gimbals.

The world's leading Hera drone was invented and designed by Vietnamese engineers, manufactured in Vietnam.

PHOTO: LAM YEN

Next is the Sky Watch 360. This is the world's first continuous-flying drone with up to 4 EO-IR cameras with a 360-degree field of view.

These two products are very useful in search and rescue. For example, in Ha Long, there is a shipwreck and you want to search for victims. Standing on the ship, the visibility is limited. If you can go up to a hundred meters high, the visibility is more than 20 km and covers 360 degrees.

In September 2025, Omni Sight and Sky Watch 360 will announce their products at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas (one of the two largest annual exhibitions in North America).

Omni Sight uses US patented gimbal technology that can carry 2 cameras and will be launched in the US in September.

PHOTO: NVCC

* Are you subjective when you think that your company RtR has the world's leading core drone technology?

Absolutely not because everything is "quantified" by practical testing. Specifically, the technology to manufacture small drones (the most compact, the largest lifting capacity, the most equipment carrying, the most versatile) was patented by Australia in 2024. The technology to manufacture gimbals that can carry 2 cameras (all gimbals in the world currently only carry 1 camera. RtR gimbal can carry 2, doubling the reconnaissance or data collection capacity) and the technology to manufacture small drones carrying shoulder-launched missiles was patented by the US in 2024.

RtR has filed 14 patent applications in the US and Australia and has been granted 5 patents. The remaining will be granted in the near future.

Dr. Luong Viet Quoc discusses with Vietnamese engineers about upcoming products

PHOTO: LAM YEN

* Always emphasize mastering core technology, can you elaborate on this?

Mastering core technology requires two factors. The first is self-invention, design and manufacturing. The second is the level of invention surpassing the world.

15-20 years ago, when people mentioned China, they thought of fake and counterfeit goods. Now, many Chinese brands are the world's leading brands such as: DJI is the leader in drones, BYD is the leader in electric vehicles, CATL specializes in producing batteries for electric vehicles worldwide... All because they have inventions that surpass the world.

Inventions and patents account for about 60% of revenue. Processing and assembly only account for 3-4%, adding components, hardware... also only accounts for 40%. If Vietnamese enterprises master the core technology and production, they can collect 100% of this revenue.

Creativity is the only way

* Resolution 57 of the Politburo at the end of 2024 mentions "breakthrough in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation". In your opinion, how should Vietnam realize this?

Vietnamese people are completely capable of creating technical solutions and creating products that are better than the world. And to do this, the only way is to invest heavily in R&D (research and development) to have breakthrough inventions in technology. This is also the core spirit of Resolution 57 "to rise up through innovation in technology".

Vietnamese engineers are completely capable of inventing and designing world-class technological products.

PHOTO: LAM YEN

* Are you being too optimistic?

Our story may be rare, but it is proof that Vietnamese people can make products that surpass the world.

There are two issues here: do Vietnamese businesses dare to choose the long-term (and risky) path? And what policies does the government have to support R&D? Israel spends nearly 6% of its GDP on R&D, South Korea 4.9%, the US 3.5%, and China 2.4 - 2.7%.

Vietnam, with Resolution 57, aims for 2%, a five-fold increase from the current 0.4%. I think we are on the right track. If our country reforms its institutions more strongly, in the spirit of Resolution 66, and has favorable macroeconomic policies, Vietnamese enterprises will be more confident in promoting R&D. We can learn those policies from Israel, China, South Korea, etc.

RtR Company's mechanical design team

PHOTO: LAM YEN

* Together with you to create the world's leading drones is a team of Vietnamese engineers trained entirely in the country. How do you evaluate the quality of "made in Vietnam" human resources?

Through observation and from my company’s reality, I see that young Vietnamese engineers have the ability to manufacture and turn inventions into products. For example, Omni Sight Gimbal, the invention is just the principle, but to manufacture the actual product, it requires electronic design, mechanical design, etc. They have the ability to endure hardship and work at high intensity. The common weakness is the lack of maximum effort to achieve perfection (this is very different from the Japanese).

* With many world-class inventions, are you happy?

I am happy because I am doing what I love and creating a positive impact on society and my personal career. I hope that more and more Vietnamese companies will have world-class inventions, then our country will become a creative and powerful nation.

* If his daughter Vivian needed one message from him, just one, what would it be?

Just two words: gratitude. Gratitude is so important, it's the first thing I teach my children. Gratitude leads to good actions.

Thank you!

Strong will, diligent study

Luong Viet Quoc has a PhD in economics , not technology. However, with his ability to grasp information, he diligently studies on his own to manage his team of young, talented engineers, exchange with experts and international partners, and come up with outstanding inventions in the drone industry (which have been granted global patents and inventions).

Perhaps partly due to his poor and hungry background, Quoc has a strong will to live and a rare seriousness in work as well as in life. But most passionately and persistently, he still wants to prove that with the Vietnamese people's diligence in learning and maximum investment in R&D, Vietnam's science and technology industry can also create world-class inventions and discoveries.

Ms. Vu Kim Hanh , Director of Business Research and Enterprise Support Center - BSA.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-drone-viet-dan-dau-the-gioi-185250829113029276.htm