Let’s make one thing clear: drones are wonderful devices, capable of capturing stunning imagery – we wholeheartedly agree with that. Nonetheless, employing drones can easily become a serious nuisance. Since most of our windmills are inhabited, taking the privacy of residents into consideration is a big deal to us. After all, who likes having cameras hovering overhead intruding on your privacy all day long?
In addition, Kinderdijk World Heritage is a protected Natura 2000 area. A wealth of plant life, bird species, and other animals use it as a much needed safe haven to preserve wildlife diversity and habitats. This means that as a rule, flying over Natura 2000 zones is prohibited, to prevent disturbing the peace that flora and fauna need. Professional drone pilots must always obtain prior permission from the Omgevingsdienst Haaglanden authorities. National directives govern drone use by private individuals.
In September 2018, the No Drone awareness campaign was launched under the direction of the Molenwaard and Alblssserwaard municipal authorities. The campaign uses signs, social media, and other means to make Kinderdijk World Heritage visitors aware of the impact that drones have on the daily lives and privacy of our residents. Under current regulations, drone pilots may be fined by force of Molenlanden General Local Directives (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening) if they cause demonstrable nuisance and are caught in the act. The amount fined is nothing to sneeze at: 410 euros, to be precise. If you did manage to obtain a licence, please be sure to inform us at the Kinderdijk World Heritage Foundation (SWEK). We will inform the millers in turn.
