At drone test center Unmanned Valley (UMV) in Valkenburg (municipality of Katwijk), the official cooperation between the province of South Holland, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Ministry of Defense was signed today. This marks an important step toward the realization of the first permanent test area for BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights in the Netherlands. This unique piece of airspace for drones will be over the North Sea. Somewhere off the coast of Katwijk and Wassenaar and should be operational in just over a year.

UMV: the logical home base

The signing took place in the heart of Dutch drone and aviation innovation: Unmanned Valley, located at the former naval airbase Valkenburg. Here, companies, governments and knowledge institutions work daily on the future of unmanned technology. Unmanned Valley will function as a take-off and landing spot for the test area. Moreover, with its strong space activities, South Holland is the ideal testing ground for this next step in aviation development.

Meindert Stolk, Deputy Economy and Innovation: “This test area brings innovation, economy and defense together. It strengthens our position as a frontrunner in aviation technology while providing opportunities for employment and knowledge development.”

The importance of BVLOS flying

BVLOS flights, in which drones fly outside the pilot’s view, allow operations to be conducted at greater distances, for longer and more efficiently. Consider:

• Inspections of wind turbines, levees and (critical) infrastructure
• Have samples taken from ship cargoes (bulk sampling)
• Securing hard-to-reach locations (such as a port area)
• Air transport of high-value/crucial parts to ships, for example
• Military operations

This technology can make our society safer, more sustainable and more efficient. But before BVLOS flights can be widely deployed, careful testing in specially designated airspace is essential. The test area allows for testing and further development of BVLOS flying under controlled conditions.

Arne Weverling, Deputy Aviation Minister: “With the BVLOS test area, we in South Holland are taking the lead in the development of the drone industry. From airspace security to transport, and from inspections to sampling. With this, we are laying an important foundation for the aviation of the future.”

Robert Tieman, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management: “Drones are a wonderful innovation from which we are already reaping many benefits, but that is really only the beginning. If drones can fly out of the driver’s sight, drones can bring us much more. With this test area, we are taking a serious step in that direction.”

Making room for tomorrow’s drone

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has designated the airspace over the North Sea, somewhere between Katwijk and the port of Rotterdam, as a preferred area for BVLOS flights. The goal: to make this area operational for testing as soon as possible. The province of South Holland is taking the lead in the airspace modification procedure required for this. This involves close cooperation with experts from MovingDot, AirHub, To70 and the Netherlands Aerospace Center (NLR). This alliance marks a powerful collaboration between the state, region and industry.

Gijs Tuinman, Secretary of State for Defense: “Drones have fundamentally changed the battlefield. In Ukraine, we see daily how crucial this technology is for our security. With this test area, we are investing in that digital clout and accelerating the development of drones and anti-drone systems. This will make our armed forces stronger, our society safer and contribute directly to Ukraine’s freedom.”

First test flights starting in late 2026

We expect the BVLOS test area to be officially in use by the end of 2026. By then, clear agreements and procedures will also have been established to ensure safe flight operations for both drones and regular aircraft. The insights gained from the test area will form the basis for new national rules for BVLOS flying.

Key Region Leiden calls on the Authority Consumer & Market (ACM) to give knowledge and innovation campuses a structural place in the allocation of scarce grid capacity. In an official response to the draft decision on priority for community projects, the region stressed how important campuses are to national security, health and strategic autonomy. Read the full response here.

Unique innovation environments

Campuses are not ordinary business locations. They are unique innovation environments where knowledge institutions, companies and governments collaborate intensively on solutions to the great challenges of our time – from fighting pandemics to defense technology. In the Leiden region, this is happening at:

• Leiden Bio Science Park, which plays a unique role in the production of vaccines, drugs and biotech innovations, and where crucial knowledge surrounding infectious diseases and pandemics comes together.
• NL Space Campus, working on satellite data, space technology and applications for civil and defense security, with direct linkage to strategic autonomy.
• Unmanned Valley, a testing and innovation center for drones, unmanned systems, sensorics and autonomous technologies with applications in national security, border control and disaster response.

Without reliable power, these ecosystems cannot fulfill their societal function. The effects of grid congestion are already being felt: new labs and facilities cannot be connected, companies are considering departure, and urgent innovations are being delayed.

Separate category needed

Key Region Leiden therefore argues for a separate category within the ACM decision: knowledge and innovation campuses. Social projects within recognized campuses that contribute to safety, health and technology development should be given priority for grid connections.

“In a world where strategic autonomy is increasingly important, it is crucial that the Netherlands protect and strengthen its knowledge and innovation base. For this, campuses are indispensable – and they cannot do without power,” the regional partners said.

Read the full response here.

‘Unmanned and autonomous technology offers solutions to today’s big challenges. We want to enable everyone to develop and use this technology. That is why we are happy to join Key Region Leiden as a knowledge partner to strengthen the Leiden – Katwijk – Noordwijk knowledge axis,’ said Theo de Vries, director of Unmanned Valley in Katwijk.

Largest in the Netherlands

Unmanned Valley is convinced that unmanned and autonomous technology offers solutions to issues related to energy transition, personnel shortages, logistics, defense, agriculture and much more. De Vries: “We bring together knowledge, supply and demand from the entire chain. In recent years, the former Naval Air Station has been transformed into the Dutch center for unmanned technology. Increasingly, leading companies and knowledge institutions are finding their way to our campus. This is thanks to our central location and state-of-the-art facilities. We organize knowledge events, manage the largest UAS test field in the Netherlands, advise organizations in the field of unmanned technology and rent office/meeting rooms to innovative organizations’.

Solutions to pressing issues

Sensor-based technology is already being used in numerous places. From remote sensing for recognizing and predicting diseases in flower bulbs to solutions for various safety issues such as securing critical infrastructure. Great examples of dual-use of drone technology. With the continued development and integration of robotization, artificial intelligence, big data, machine learning and Internet of Things, the number of useful applications is growing rapidly. For everyone – from composite developers and robotics manufacturers to companies active in artificial intelligence, service providers and end users – it is important that technologies and applications can be tested. Preferably close to where the research and development also takes place. Unmanned Valley offers that space in its extensive field lab consisting of 25 acres of UAS test field and 2,000m² indoor test center.

The field lab is run by the Unmanned Valley Foundation, an initiative of TU Delft and the Municipality of Katwijk.

The future of health is not written in a laboratory, but in an entire ecosystem. That is why the leading Leiden Bio Science Park is happy to be a knowledge partner of Key Region Leiden.

‘The partners of Key Region Leiden form a large network that runs from Noordwijk with its NL Space Campus, through Leiden to Unmanned Valley in Katwijk. We are happy to contribute to the ambition of making this an even stronger axis of knowledge and production. That is not only good for the park, but for all companies in the region,” says Esther Peters, director of LBSP.

European top

Leiden Bio Science Park is the largest life sciences & health cluster in the Netherlands and ranks among the top in Europe. The park drives innovations that contribute to a healthier society. Together with NL Space Campus and Unmanned Valley, it is one of the three strategic knowledge clusters within Key Region Leiden. Close cooperation between education, research, companies and governments, the so-called multi-helix, creates a unique ecosystem here where knowledge is actively shared and successfully transformed into social and economic impact.

Complete ecosystem

Leiden Bio Science Park is built on collaboration. Here, more than 26,000 professionals and 27,000 students at all levels (from mbo and hbo to university) work on the health of tomorrow. The park houses 519 organizations, including 386 companies (including 92 start-ups), 133 research and educational institutions, and various social and cultural institutions.

Number 1

What makes the park special is the complete chain that comes together here – from basic research to large-scale production, from molecule to patient. All with a broad focus: from lifestyle and prevention to regenerative medicine, advanced therapies such as cell and gene therapy, and data-driven applications in MedTech and AI. Not for nothing does Leiden rank No. 1 in the Netherlands when it comes to biotech patents and drug production.

Shared challenges

Within the Key Region Leiden cooperation, Leiden Bio Science Park works on shared challenges such as attracting and retaining talent, labor market shortages, network congestion and connecting practice-oriented education with the rapidly changing world of technology and healthcare. Thanks to the interweaving of education, research and entrepreneurship, the park offers plenty of opportunities for talent development, knowledge sharing and innovation.

International investments

With its strong international reputation, innovative strength and central location, Leiden Bio Science Park offers an attractive investment climate for (inter)national companies and financiers. The affiliation with Key Region Leiden strengthens the joint positioning of the region as a breeding ground for knowledge, talent and activity. Together we are building the future of health, locally and globally.

Facts & figures

• Leiden Bio Science Park is the largest life sciences & health cluster in the Netherlands and the European leader.
• The park is an incubator for cutting-edge innovation. From cell and gene therapy to smart MedTech solutions with AI.
• More than 26,000 professionals and 27,000 students (mbo, hbo and wo) work here daily on the health of tomorrow.
• Affiliation with Key Region Leiden strengthens the region’s joint positioning as an incubator for knowledge, talent and business.
• Together we are building the future of health, locally and globally.

Key Region Leiden has several clusters as knowledge partners, including NL Space Campus. The Noordwijk campus is the beating heart of the Dutch space sector and plays a key role in space technology that also makes a difference on Earth. The campus is a valuable addition to our network and will further strengthen our innovation ecosystem.

Incubator for technology and talent

At NL Space Campus, companies, knowledge institutions and governments are working together on groundbreaking technologies with applications beyond space travel alone – think innovations in agriculture, energy and transportation. The campus offers unique facilities such as the CometLab, where students, startups and companies can develop, test and scale up concepts. In addition, a Space Simulation Chamber will open in late 2025, allowing young developers to test their products in a simulated space environment.

Collaboration as a key to growth

Director Marc Sandelowsky emphasizes the importance of cooperation: “By acting together within Key Region Leiden, we create the right preconditions for growth. We can share knowledge, apply for funding together and have a stronger voice in The Hague and Europe. In this way we increase the impact of innovation in the Leiden region and far beyond.”

Opportunities for startups and scale-ups

The campus is closely linked to the technological heart of the European Space Agency (ESA), ESTEC, and houses programs such as ESA PhiLab Netherlands and ESA Technology Broker NL. These initiatives encourage cooperation between research institutions and market players, and help new, sustainable companies with commercial potential get started – including outside the space sector.

‘Today’s global and societal challenges are so great that we can only face them together. It is therefore logical that Key Region Leiden and Noordwijk have recently been working together more and more intensively to strengthen the knowledge economy in our rego,’ said Pim van Stien, alderman for Economy, Finance and Space in the municipality of Noordwijk. (Photo: Wendy Mensink)

Knowledge and innovation

‘We do this along the knowledge and innovation axis that runs from the Bio Science Park in Leiden, via Unmanned Valley in Katwijk to the NL Space Campus in Noordwijk. Three clusters with great economic impact and lots of growth potential. Through even more cooperation, synergy and innovative crossovers, we can maximize this potential. And that is good for the economy in Noordwijk, the entire Dune and Flowerbulb Region and the Leiden region’.

Security and prosperity

‘Noordwijk is aware of the unique contribution we make as a space municipality to social issues. With the Space cluster, consisting of ESA/ESTEC and the activity and research at the NL Space Campus, we are uniquely positioned. Space technology plays a crucial role in our daily lives: for navigation, communication, climate adaptation, and environmental and nitrogen policy. It is essential for our safety and prosperity’.

Sandwiches and jobs

‘The sector offers enormous opportunities for future-proof employment and earning power in the region, the province and the Netherlands. Sandwiches and jobs for our residents, opportunities for our entrepreneurs. That is why we are working hard to make the NL Space Campus the focal point of these developments. Together with the province, the state, Key Region Leiden, ESA, Economic Board Duin- en Bollenstreek, Holland Rijnland and all our partners, we are building the Space Campus into one of the most important European space hubs. A place where companies, researchers, students and pupils work together on the challenges of the future. Challenges that, given the geopolitical developments, will only get bigger’.

Key region

‘Space technology is therefore a spearhead of our economic cooperation. Together with the other partners of Key Region Leiden, in the coming years we will work towards one powerful knowledge region: a European key region, with strong clusters working together to find solutions to the major issues of our time. Noordwijk is looking forward to working together!

The Leiden region has everything it needs to make an impact in Europe: key technologies in bioscience, space and drones, strong triple helix collaborations and an ecosystem where innovation is literally within cycling distance. But how do we smartly approach the way we work towards Brussels? We talked about this during the Europe Table. Led by Mayor Peter Heijkoop of the City of Leiden, a number of speakers took us through the possibilities and opportunities.

Pooling goals

MEP Jeannette Baljeu: “Cooperation at the European level is not a luxury, but a necessity. Bundle your goals and be very concrete. That way you can make an impact as a region. That does require the region to be very aware of its own strengths.”

Partnerships

Karen van Dantzig (Dutch Urban Envoy) outlined the new direction of the European Commission: “The strength of regions lies in their ability to translate European ambitions into concrete innovations. Ecosystems such as in the Leiden region – where key technologies converge – show how regional cooperation can contribute to strategic European goals. Partnerships that forge broad coalties in the process stand out in Brussels.”

Solutions

Paul de Bruijn (Committee of the Regions): “The key to European influence lies in cooperation. Only if we tell one story as a region can we reach Brussels. MEPs listen for solutions that work – and we have them. By joining forces, we increase our visibility as well as our clout.”

Trump in control

Many insights were shared during the meeting that call for a follow-up. The challenge now is to come up with a joint EU approach together, in which we actively bring the solutions from our key sectors to Brussels. What does that mean in concrete terms? Smart cooperation on innovation and R&D, across municipal borders, where coalitions with like-minded regions within Europe is also a smart strategy. Connecting (programs for) startups and scale-ups from the bio science, space and unmanned systems sectors. The Leiden region holds a trump card in this regard, as nowhere will you find so many key technologies together!

The next step? On July 7, we will launch our new name and direction as a regional cooperation. With that story, we will set out together, including towards Brussels. Follow us not to miss it.