NL
In 2026, the first Dutch drone licenses have been renewed. In Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, several changes to drone regulations have been implemented. We also expect a number of changes in the Dutch airspace in 2026, which will affect drone pilots in the open category. In this blog post, we list the most important changes.
First drone licenses have expired
The first drone licenses (issued on January 1, 2021) have expired. The EU Drone License is valid for five years after issuance. It is possible to renew your EU Drone License. Make sure to do this before the expiration date.
Since the end of 2025, our renewal/refresher course has been available. With this short refresher course, you can renew your drone license for another five years. In the meantime, the first drone licenses have already been renewed. You can read all the information about renewing your drone license in our blog: Renewing drone license.
Adjustment of drone regulations in Luxembourg
Many travelers visit Luxembourg. Just like all EU member states, this country uses European drone legislation. In addition to European drone legislation, the following national drone rules have also applied since 2026:
- Operator registration is mandatory for all drone activities
- Violation of drone regulations can now have criminal consequences (especially for flying outside of valid zones and flying without appropriate training and registration)
- There are fees associated with applying for certificates and registration
With the introduction of these additional rules, the focus is on flying outside valid zones. The only valid drone map for Luxembourg is Geoportal. The European drone license is valid in Luxembourg. In addition to this license, the operator number is also mandatory for all drone activities.
Adjustment of drone regulations in the UK
Although European legislation does not apply to the United Kingdom, we will briefly review the most important updates in British drone legislation. Many drone pilots take their drone on trips to the UK.
If you want to fly a drone in the UK, keep the following updates to drone regulations in mind:
- Operator registration and obtaining a Flyer ID (theory certificate) are mandatory for drones weighing 100 grams or more (previously 250 grams)
- New class marks (UK0 to UK6) for drones entering the UK market from 2026 onwards
- EU Cx labels will be recognized ('tolerated') until the end of 2027
- Remote ID is mandatory for drones with a UK1, UK2, and UK3 label
- Starting in 2028, Remote ID will be mandatory for all drones over 100 grams
The above is a clear tightening of the regulations compared to the EU rules and is therefore noteworthy.
The EU Drone License and the European operator number are not valid in the UK. If you want to fly a drone in the UK, you must obtain a 'Flyer ID'. This is mandatory for anyone flying a drone weighing more than 100 grams.
Expectations for Dutch drone pilots in 2026
In the Netherlands, a number of positive and less favorable developments will take place in 2026.
- Partial opening of civil CTRs: The outer rings of the CTRs of Schiphol, Rotterdam, Groningen, Lelystad, and Maastricht will become accessible for drones in the open category.
- More low-flying areas and no-fly zones: 225 new no-fly zones will be introduced. These concern areas around industry and infrastructure. In addition, the Ministry of Defence is expanding low-flying areas where open category pilots may only fly drones with a C0, C1, or C2 label up to a height of 30 meters.
- Uncertainty about the future of GoDrone: Following the bankruptcy of Altitude Angel, maintenance of this official Dutch no-fly zone map came to a halt. It has since been announced that a Spanish company is acquiring parts of Altitude Angel. Whether and how GoDrone will continue is not yet clear.
- Transition to SORA 2.5: For professional drone pilots, no applications based on SORA 2.0 will be accepted after April 1, 2026. Applications must be submitted based on SORA 2.5, which is much stricter for drone operators wishing to fly larger drones.
The year 2026 offers more opportunities to fly in areas where a CTR is currently active. On the other hand, there are several additional restrictions. It remains crucial to use an up-to-date drone map. Currently, we recommend using the Aeret drone map for current airspace information.