At the forefront of drone technology
The control tower in the distance and the test field’s tarmac are reminders of Unmanned Valley's past: this airfield nestled between Wassenaar and Leiden used to be called Naval Air Station Valkenburg. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a traditional pilot there nowadays because Unmanned Valley has since become a hub for drone and sensor technology.
By Bruno van Wayenburg • November 5, 2024
The former military building has undergone a complete makeover. Community manager Dietmar Lander gives us a tour and, upon entering, we find a group of MBO College Airport students engaged in a lively discussion in a spacious hall with a model of a blunt Marlyn drone with wings in the background. You might just run into "the best drone pilots in the Netherlands”, says Lander as he guides us around these hallowed halls.
The site is home to some 14 drone organisations, from DroneVolt, which makes drones to order, and Nova Sky Stories, a specialist in drone-powered light shows, to educators such as the Drone Flight Academy and MBO College Airport.
“We're essentially the linchpin between all those organisations”, managing director Theo de Vries states. Unmanned Valley offers companies test facilities, including the test field from which Orion aircraft used to take off, and a hangar in which Dutch racers train for the Dutch drone racing championships and more.
Fieldlab ID
| Fieldlab | Unmanned Valley |
| Wat gebeurt daar? | Campus voor sensorgerelateerde technologieën en toepassingen. |
| Missie | Het Europese epicentrum bouwen voor onbemande en autonome technologie. |
| Hoofdkwartier | Marinevliegkamp 356 2236 ZZ Valkenburg, Zuid-Holland |
| Opgericht | In 2018 |
| Aantal medewerkers | 10 |
| Samenwerkende partners | Arriva, Staatsbosbeheer, Leiden-Delft-Erasmus-universiteiten, Holland Rijnland, Dunea, Agrifirm, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Aerospeace Delta Zuid-Holland, Flight Deck Insurance, Aerospace Innovation Hub TU Delft, NL Space Campus, Yes!Delft, Do IoT Fieldlab |
Fieldlab ID
| Fieldlab | Unmanned Valley |
| What happens there? | Campus for sensor-related technologies and applications |
| Mission | To build Europe's epicentre for unmanned, autonomous technology |
| Headquarters | Marinevliegkamp 356 2236 ZZ Valkenburg, South Holland |
| Year founded | 2018 |
| Number of employees | 10 |
| Partners | Arriva, Staatsbosbeheer, Leiden-Delft-Erasmus universities, Holland Rijnland, Dunea, Agrifirm, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Aerospace Delta Zuid-Holland, Flight Deck Insurance, Aerospace Innovation Hub TU Delft, NL Space Campus, Yes!Delft, Do IoT Fieldlab |
Network between hospitals
“One of the most striking projects is the station that ANWB is testing”, De Vries says. In the corner of the test field, they have set up a large metal box from which drones can take off automatically. De Vries: “The aim is to set up a drone network between hospitals to speed up and automate the transport of blood samples, medication and even organs in the future.”
Although for that to happen, the law on drones will have to change since they'll have to fly without a pilot's direct supervision. “Automation is essential in order to unlock the major social and economic added value of drones”, Lander says. Parcel delivery, building or wind turbine inspections, up-to-date maps of agricultural fields, and security are but a handful of applications that will rely heavily on BVLOS, which stands for Beyond Visual Line of Sight, the technical term for flights without a pilot in sight.
“BVLOS is hamstrung by current legislation but Unmanned Valley is working hard to make a change”, says De Vries. Several test flights have already been carried out within a dedicated corridor - a small strip of airspace above the uninhabited dunes between Valkenburg and the North Sea - with drone pilots guiding the flights along the way. If Unmanned Valley had its way, the corridor would also be extended to Rotterdam, but they'll have to wait for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management for permission for 'real' BVLOS.
De Vries: “They've said it'll be another two years but we can't wait that long. That's why we're trying our hardest to show that it is safe, that the technology works and that we can control the airspace.”
Not all drones have good intentions. Counter-drone security is becoming increasingly important
Theo de Vries
Counter drone technology
Partly for this reason, the roof is densely packed with radar and radio equipment, says De Vries. “The equipment can spot everything in the sky, even the smallest birds, and is used for counter-drone technology, another Unmanned Valley expertise. After all, not all drones are operated with good intentions. Counter-drone security is becoming increasingly important at major events or political summits, as are detection and authorisation.”
“We don't bring down drones here”, says De Vries, although Drone Dynamics did demonstrate its net-based downing system at a recent drone conference.
Besides drones, Unmanned Valley is also used to develop sensor technology, from radars to radiocommunication. The defence company Marshall, for example, produces shelters, which are ready-made military command centres packed with equipment.
“Developments are happening at break-neck pace”, says De Vries. “In the next phase, we'll see software companies offer automated drones as a service, so you won't have to buy one yourself.” Hydrogen-powered drones are another upcoming development. In the long run, we might even see manned drone flights. De Vries: “We'll have a meaningful role to play for the foreseeable future.”
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