The government wants to realise a permanent test area for drones over the North Sea. This should speed up the implementation of drones for a variety of purposes.
Drones can be used for a wide range of applications. Think of military use, but also package delivery or transporting medicines, tissue or organs between hospitals. In addition, drones can be used for all kinds of monitoring activities, for example to map the condition of dykes, bridges and wind turbines.
First test area in the Netherlands
Testing is needed to make the most of these opportunities. To carry this out, the government wants to create a permanent test area for drones over the North Sea. This will be the first test area for drones in the Netherlands. For its realisation, Defence Secretary Gijs Tuinman signed a cooperation agreement at the Unmanned Valley drone test centre at the former naval airbase Valkenburg. The agreement was also signed by Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Robert Tieman and South Holland deputy Meindert Stolk.
The test zone will be located off the coast of the Netherlands between Katwijk and the port of Rotterdam. The drones will take off from and then land again at Unmanned Valley in Valkenburg. The location of the test area was chosen in view of, among other things, the strong aerospace sector present in South Holland.
Beyond Visual Line of Sight
The test area is intended, among other things, for so-called Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights. These are flights where the drone flies outside the pilot's view. The approach will enable drones to cover longer distances and perform tasks that are currently too dangerous, time-consuming or expensive, reports the Ministry of Defence.
"Drones have become crucial for our security. But even more important is their importance for the Ukrainian military. They are currently fighting for our freedom from muddy trenches and under anti-drone nets. They might just get that new and better drone a few hours earlier. And with that, every extra step here literally makes the difference between life and death over there," says State Secretary Tuinman.
Various parties involved
Defence is investing a one-off €100,000 in the test area. It is also contributing knowledge to the project. Several parties are involved in the development of the test area, including MovingDot, AirHub, To70 and the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR).
Gedeputeerde van Zuid-Holland Stolk is positive about the arrival of the test area. Stolk: "It strengthens our position as a leader in aviation technology and offers new opportunities for employment and knowledge development."
First flights scheduled for late 2026
The first test flights in the test area are scheduled for the end of 2026. The experience gained should help realise national rules for BVLOS flights. In this way, the Netherlands aims to become a frontrunner in Europe in the field of drones.
Image: Thomas Ehrhardt via Pixabay
