Netherlands explains how it monitors drone traffic over country
Photo: no-drone sign near Copenhagen Airport (Getty Images)
The Netherlands has unveiled its system for tracking hostile drones, even though no such aircraft have yet been detected in the country, according to NOS.
The Netherlands has so far relied on air traffic control centers in Amsterdam and Maastricht, as well as the Ministry of Defense’s military facility in Nieuw-Milligen near Apeldoorn, to monitor airspace.
In addition to aircraft, radar operators can detect very large drones, but not smaller ones.
Smaller drones are harder to track, NOS journalists note, because they fly at lower altitudes and are far greater in number.
Currently, over 50,000 drones are registered in the Netherlands for professional use by roofers, farmers, and film or television crews. In addition, tens of thousands of hobby drones weighing under 250 grams do not require registration.
"If all these drones were monitored from one place, the screen would be filled with dots, making it difficult to get an overall picture," the report explains.
Who monitors drones across country
No-fly zones are enforced around airports. If small drones appear near them, pilots can spot and report them to air traffic controllers.
The Royal Marechaussee (military police) monitors drones entering restricted zones, using detection systems installed at airports and military sites.
Elsewhere, the police track drone activity together with local authorities and the public prosecutor’s office, deciding on responses depending on the threat level.
In cases of airspace violations by foreign powers, the Dutch armed forces are deployed.
According to the Royal Netherlands Security Service, there were 22 reports of drones in airport no-fly zones during the first nine months of 2025, though not all turned out to be drones.
For example, in late September, a runway at Schiphol Airport was temporarily closed after a suspected drone sighting. Later investigation revealed it was likely just a balloon.
Unidentified drones across Europe
On November 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is using drones to test Europe’s readiness to respond to threats and to probe its vulnerabilities.
Recently, drones have been repeatedly spotted over airports in Brussels and Liège, disrupting air traffic, while similar incidents in Sweden have led to temporary airport shutdowns.
