Special drone flights above the North Sea in 2026?
In the media image: Karl Greif on Unsplash
From the end of 2026, drone flights could be tested out of visual range in a special zone above the North Sea. Assistant Professor Benjamyn I. Scott commentys in regional newspaper ‘Leidsch Dagblad’: 'Safety remains paramount in aviation.'
For years, the former military airfield in Valkenburg has served as a test site for drones. Companies at Unmanned Valley, a drone testing and innovation hub in the Netherlands, are currently experimenting at the airfield with a variety of applications. Soon, these tests will be extended to above the North Sea, where drones can also fly out of visual range. A special Beyond Visual Line of Sight zone (BVLOS) will have to be established for this by the end of 2026.
Such a BVLOS zone is a first for the Netherlands. Similar test areas already exist in other European countries, but they are often close to airports and therefore offer limited flight space. The envisaged area above the North Sea, between Katwijk and Wassenaar, does not have these limitations. The knowledge that will be acquired from these drone flights will form the basis for new national rules for BVLOS flights.
However, a BVLOS zone cannot just be set up anywhere. The risk to aviation is a crucial factor in decisions about such a zone. ‘Air traffic must not collide’, says assistant professor Benjamyn I. Scott of the International Institute of Air and Space Law. 'Safety remains paramount in aviation – regulations are aimed at minimising the risk of collisions.'
More information?
Read the full article in Leidsch Dagblad (€, in Dutch)