The focus of the Amsterdam Drone Week (ADW) this year was on new developments in drone technology and on showing the opportunities these developments offer for social progress, such as smart mobility and sustainability. At the same time, attention was also paid to the possible risks that could arise from the use of drones. These risks are comprehensive and range from flight safety to social threats.

Limit abuse of civilian drones

Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok spoke to participants of the ADW to draw attention to risks and to call on all those present to think about solutions with which we can deal with threats. With the help of the experts present, he wanted to draw up a list of concrete recommendations about measures that governments and industry can take to limit the risk of abuse of civil drones. 

“I hope that these recommendations will lead to agreements for the responsible production and use of civil drones, which will minimize the risk of abuse. If these recommendations lend themselves to this, I will make every effort to put them on the international agenda so that they can be adopted in as many countries as possible, ”said Stef Blok afterwards to the House.

The Amsterdam Drone Week (ADW) is organized on the initiative of the Amsterdam RAI and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This international conference is aimed at the commercial drone industry and is organized in close collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. 

Primarily responsible for regulations

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The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is primarily responsible for the regulations regarding the use of civil drones. This ministry has played a stimulating role in the development of new European regulations for civil drones, which supervise safe drone use and will be implemented in the coming year. 

At the same time, supervising safe drone use is a shared responsibility of several ministries, including the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice and Security, including the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributes to this by mobilizing other countries to join in with agreements made and by working together internationally to address threats.

Blok wants to emphasize that the initiative was part of the broader commitment of the cabinet to follow up the Koopmans et al. Motion regarding the threats arising from the use of new technologies as part of weapon systems.

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Drone with digital camera
Drone with digital camera
Winners Drone Awards 2019