The Vietnam Aerospace Association (VASA) and Sweden's Unmanned Systems Group have entered an agreement that will help Vietnam develop and build unmanned air vehicles (UAV).

"The goal is to use a phased approach to transfer expertise and intellectual property to VASA to build suitable UAVs in Vietnam for multiple potential customers - both civil and military," said Unmanned Systems Group in a brief email to Flightglobal.

The agreement between the two parties was signed on Tuesday, 20 November, in Hanoi. The agreement covers three phases of development.

The first phase will see Sweden provide funds and equipment for Vietnam to build two Magic Eye 1 UAVs. Unmanned Systems Group will provide technicians and the design of the UAV.

Phases two and three will see the two countries codevelop and manufacture UAVs.

Media reports from Vietnam quote the head of VASA, Nguyen Duc Cuong, as saying that UAVs could serve many roles in Vietnam, such as border patrol, mapping, and search and rescue.

Source: Flight International