Can I fly my drone here?
A quick checklist for the Netherlands, and what to do when the answer is no
Can I fly my drone here? The short answer
Whether you may fly a drone in the Netherlands depends on where you are, how high you fly and which drone you use. In most places a hobby flight is fine, but airports, seaports, military sites and events are no-fly zones for the Open category.
Go through the checklist below. If your location turns out to be inside a no-fly zone, that usually does not mean filming is impossible. It means you need a professional operator with the right authorisation. That is exactly what we do.
The 30-second checklist
1. Look up your location on the official drone map GoDrone by LVNL. If a zone applies, read the conditions.
2. Within roughly 15 km of an airport (the CTR)? Until 26 November 2026 you may not fly there in the Open category. After that you may in zone 3: from about 5 km from the airport and up to 120 metres.
3. In a seaport, at an industrial site, above an event, along a motorway or railway or near a military site? Then the Open category does not allow it.
4. Fly no higher than 120 metres, always keep the drone in sight and never fly over people.
5. Drone of 250 grams or more, or with a camera? Register as an operator. Visitors from outside the EU register in the first EU country where they fly, for example with the RDW in the Netherlands.
Stuck on one of these points? Then you need the Specific category. Read below how we handle that.
Last updated: 7 November 2026
Inside a no-fly zone? Near an airport or a port
Close to Schiphol, Rotterdam The Hague Airport or another airport, in the Port of Rotterdam, on an industrial site or above an event: this is where the Open category stops. You then need the Specific category, an operational authorisation from the Dutch aviation authority ILT, and often permission from air traffic control or the port authority.
Drone Chiefs flies in exactly these places, with its own ILT authorisation (NLD-OAT-041-05G).
How we help with your shoot
• Certified drone pilots and equipment, including the DJI Inspire 3 and FPV drones
• Permit and permission requests: air traffic control (LVNL), the port authority, the municipality and landowners
• Risk assessment and flight preparation for your location
• Traffic marshals and stewards who close off the take-off area and, where needed, the road or quay
• One point of contact, from location check to delivered footage
Frequently asked questions
Can I fly a drone near Schiphol?
Until 26 November 2026, not in the Open category inside the CTR. After that you may in zone 3, from about 5 kilometres from the airport and up to 120 metres. Closer in, the Specific category is required, with permission from air traffic control.
Can I fly a drone in the Port of Rotterdam?
Not in the Open category: the port area is a no-fly zone. Filming is possible in the Specific category, with permission from the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
Do I need to register my drone as a visitor?
Yes, if your drone weighs 250 grams or more or has a camera. EU residents register in their home country; visitors from outside the EU register in the first EU country where they fly.
Can you take over the whole shoot?
Yes. We provide the pilot and the drone, handle the permissions, arrange traffic marshals where needed and deliver the footage.
Send us your location
Tell us where and when you want to film. We check the zone, the permissions needed and the lead time, and send you a quote. Productions start from €750.
Request a quote
