CT Group unveils ASEAN’s largest UAV complex, low-altitude economy hub

CT Group unveils ASEAN’s largest UAV complex, low-altitude economy hub

CT Group on Monday announced two major technology projects, including the largest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) complex in ASEAN and a low-altitude economy (LAE) centre, as part of its push into future-oriented industries.

UAVs deployed to deliver emergency supplies to flood-hit areas. — Photos courtesy of CT Group

CT Group on Monday announced two major technology projects as part of its push into future-oriented industries.

One is the largest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) complex in ASEAN and the second is a low-altitude economy (LAE) centre.

The announcements were made at a conference co-hosted by CT Group and the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to review one year of implementing the 'three-house' linkage model – connecting the State, academia and enterprises – under the Politburo’s Resolution 57/2024.

According to CT Group, the LAE centre will require total investment of VNĐ6 trillion (US$240 million), mobilised from both equity and loans. With a total floor area of about 500,000 square metres, the facility is expected to be the largest of its kind in ASEAN.

Designed as a 'Living Lab', the centre will comprise a global command hub connected to digital infrastructure, a cybersecurity centre, and research, artificial intelligence and prototyping facilities.

It will feature advanced laboratories, an AI training centre and a rapid prototyping factory equipped with industrial-grade 3D printing systems, enabling ideas to be turned into products within 24 hours.

UAVs deployed to deliver emergency supplies to flood-hit areas. — Photos courtesy of CT Group

Reaffirming the group’s strategic vision, Trần Kim Chung, Chairman of CT Group, said: “When we decided to pursue these two major projects, we asked ourselves a fundamental question: ‘What is the scientific basis and real market potential?’ This reflection was crucial before making such an ambitious commitment.” 

He added that the LAE and UAV sectors represent a “golden opportunity” for Việt Nam.

“Once we master the low-altitude economy, we not only control a technological chain but gain access to an entirely new space for development, where productivity increases will be several times higher than before," Chung said. 

Alongside the LAE centre, CT Group also unveiled plans for a 400-hectare UAV complex in Tây Ninh Province, which it described as the largest UAV technology complex in ASEAN.

Speaking at the event, Đoàn Trung Kiên, Vice Chairman of the Tây Ninh People’s Committee, said the UAV complex was not merely an investment project but a strategic high-tech ecosystem. He stressed the province’s commitment to working with enterprises to develop digital data, foster innovation and build a comprehensive UAV ecosystem.

Huỳnh Thành Đạt, Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, underlined that breakthroughs in science and technology could not rely solely on State resources. He said private conglomerates with strong capacity, vision and long-term commitment must play a central role.

VCCI Chairman Hồ Sỹ Hùng said that the review of the 'three-house' model and the launch of the UAV and LAE projects reflected a new development mindset among Vietnamese enterprises – one that goes beyond market participation to proactively entering frontier technology sectors.

From the business perspective, Nguyễn Võ Trường An, Vice Chairman of CT Group, said the issuance of Resolution 57/2024 was seen by the group as a 'starting signal' for a science and technology revolution.

The group had since intensified cooperation with universities and research institutes, aligned closely with State orientations and leveraged enterprise capabilities to commercialise ideas.

CT Group said it had shifted from being a market participant to becoming an infrastructure builder for emerging industries, particularly the low-altitude economy. Its 'make in Việt Nam' technology products were now targeting demanding markets such as South Korea, Europe and the US.

To accelerate progress, the group proposed that key projects, including the UAV complex, the LAE centre and a science park in HCM City, be classified as national priority projects.

It also called for streamlined administrative procedures, land allocation for digital technology zones in the north, preferential credit mechanisms for core technologies and stronger trade promotion support. 

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