The practical applications of autonomous tech

Key Region Leiden is unique because of its various knowledge clusters and cooperation with education and entrepreneurs; innovation is key here! One of our three knowledge clusters is Unmanned Valley (UMV), in addition to the NL Space Campus in Noordwijk and the Leiden Bio Science Park in Leiden, Oegstgeest and, in the near future, Katwijk.

In and outdoor testing

Unmanned Valley (UMV) is located on the former naval airbase Valkenburg in Katwijk. The infrastructure of airstrips and large hangars without pillars is ideal for indoor and outdoor testing of drones and autonomous vehicles. With the knowledge, training and activity present, UMV forms the heart of Dutch drone and aviation innovation. The cluster is a good example of how working together, driving and integrating contributes greatly to society and thus the region.

Sustainable cultivation thanks to drone and satellite data

Practical applications make autonomous tech highly relevant. For example, smart use of drones in growing flowers and crops makes it possible to investigate whether plant diseases are present. Unmanned Valley has set up exactly this project in the region. By taking drone images and analyzing them by AI, it can be determined exactly which crop is affected and needs attention from the grower. This method makes early intervention very precise and effective. Since January 2025, this Remote Sensing for Floraculture project has been running at Landgoed Tespelduyn in Noordwijkerhout in cooperation with the Economic Board Duin- en Bollenstreek, Greenport, NL Space Campus, software companies and growers.

The involvement of the Spacecluster and the NL Space Campus focuses on the collection and analysis of downstream data that will enable even better predictions. This is a great example of a cross-over between both knowledge clusters where AI and/or software development and space and drone technology manage to find each other for a concrete a valuable application.

Drones and beach safety

Another application is carried out by the Katwijk and Noordwijk rescue teams. Together with UMV, they are deploying drones as a coast guard. With the knowledge of Unmanned Valley, the rescue teams are now being trained so that they can start next summer season. The drones are used for monitoring mussels and swimmers where there is also a link to communication via loudspeakers. A great example of Science for life!

Unique test facility for autonomous flights

National security also benefits from a facility for testing autonomous flights over the North Sea. Unmanned Valley has been chosen as the takeoff and landing site for this purpose. This knowledge cluster is now the only location in the Netherlands designated as a test area for BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights. These flights will take place on the North Sea in the area between Katwijk and Rotterdam. This test area serves as a pilot for strengthening the safety of the Dutch coast. It will be used for monitoring, military applications, but also in inspecting offshore wind farms. A great example of dual-use.

New applications

Through the driving role of Unmanned Valley, many social applications have already been found for the use of autonomous tech that help with safety, recreation and agriculture. Through collaboration within Key Region Leiden, together with UMV, we can link autonomous tech innovations even better to the life science and space tech sectors. Think of cross-overs applications such as transporting organs faster via drones or analyzing crops in combination with satellite data.

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