Cooperation drone test area over North Sea signed

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.