Over the coming year, drones will transport medical supplies between the Isala Meppel and Isala Zwolle hospitals. The first flight took place on Monday, 22 September 2025, during the official launch.
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The drone will transport medical samples, medicines and blood products between the hospitals. The trial, which is being conducted over the course of one year, involves the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, ANWB, KPN, Isala, LVNL and other healthcare partners.
The trial marks the next step in the development of regular drone flights. This will involve legislation, technology, infrastructure, and social acceptance, among other things. The drone flights in this trial will be carried out beyond the pilot's visual line of sight (BVLOS). To ensure these flights are carried out safely, an exclusive temporary airspace corridor has been reserved to prevent the drone from coming into conflict with other air traffic.
“The organisation and regulations for BVLOS flights are still under development, and this trial will provide valuable insights into how these flights can be carried out safely and in a controlled manner in future,” says Maartje van der Helm, General Manager of Performance & Development. "These insights will also play a key role in developing the Common Information Service (CIS), which enables real-time sharing of drone flight information with air traffic control and other airspace users. The CIS is a crucial building block for the safe, large-scale integration of drones into Dutch airspace.’