The government’s use of drones is becoming a reality. Drone2Go’s 2025 annual report, published on 13 March 2026, states that several government agencies are working on remotely piloted drones for surveillance, enforcement and data sharing. The NVWA is actively involved in this.
For the food sector, this is particularly significant as an indicator. Drone inspections make monitoring faster, more visual and more data-driven.
The NVWA is mentioned several times in the report.
In Reek, the NVWA carried out weekly BVLOS flights over herb-rich grassland in 2025. Hundreds of images were captured during these flights, which serve as the basis for AI-based plant species recognition. In 2026, the aim is to use this technology to automatically recognise and count ecological strips.
In addition, the NVWA took part in a trial in which drone footage taken over the sea was processed via the Open Dataspace Lab. Only relevant information regarding oil pollution was shared with Rijkswaterstaat, whilst the source footage remained with the NVWA.
The NVWA is also involved in a trial concerning illegal gas venting along the Nieuwe Merwede, in collaboration with the ILT and Rijkswaterstaat. Drones and sensors are being used to help detect violations more quickly.
Drone2Go aims to move from pilot projects to regular deployment. The aim is to establish a network of remotely piloted drones to support public services. The report highlights benefits such as faster response times, reduced use of equipment, lower emissions and a higher success rate. In 2026, the focus will shift from experimentation to preparation for implementation.
This makes it relevant to the food sector as well. In particular, it applies to agricultural businesses, businesses in rural areas, the fishing industry, and supply chains where nature, the environment and location-specific monitoring play a role.
The NVWA is not standing on the sidelines here. The organisation is actively involved in trials and testing applications in practice. This means that the NVWA is not only a user of new technology, but is also involved in the development of future regulatory practices. It therefore looks set to have an impact on day-to-day inspection practices in the future.
The annual report is ambitious, but from a legal perspective, it is not yet straightforward to finalise the details. That is precisely where the real questions lie. What is the evidential value of drone footage in surveillance and enforcement? How reliable is AI recognition in practice? Who decides which data is relevant and may be shared with other authorities? And how do you prevent a defined pilot scheme from gradually expanding into broader surveillance without clear legal boundaries?
The costs are also not addressed. The report talks about working more efficiently and cost-effectively, but the underlying figures are missing. As a result, the promise made on this point is even greater than the evidence to back it up.
This is a clear trend in the food sector. The government is working on a regulatory framework that is faster, smarter and more remote. We must not only focus on what the technology is capable of, but also on what it makes possible from a legal and administrative perspective. That is where the real change lies.
Source: https://open.rijkswaterstaat.nl/overige-publicaties/2026/drone2go-jaarverslag-2025-grote/
