General Drone Day

On November 18, 2025, Drone Day gathered stakeholders from the agrifood and technology sectors. This event was a joint initiative of the Belgian and Dutch AgrifoodTEF nodes. It took place at the VD Borne Academie in Reusel (NL). Attendees included policy makers, companies, sector federations, research institutions, and farmers. The focus was on cross-border cooperation and knowledge exchange regarding agricultural drones.

Program

The program combined strategic insights with practical demonstrations. The morning session featured keynotes from LVVN and TEF representatives. Presentations covered autonomous flight (Flanders Make), BVLOS operations (Tective), spraying and seeding drones (ILVO), swarm technology (Leks), and the agricultural drone roadmap (WUR). A panel discussion addressed future collaborations and strategic ambitions.

The afternoon session included workshops to accelerate drone adoption in agriculture. Live demonstrations by Agriflight, Croptic, Leks, and Tective showed applications for spraying drones, drone-in-a-box solutions, and hyperspectral imaging. These sessions provided a concrete view of current technological capabilities.

Key Results

The event confirmed the importance of drones for precision agriculture. It highlighted the need for coordinated European efforts. A Belgian-Dutch Drone Roadmap was announced for 2026. This roadmap aims for joint innovation and alignment of regulations. The workshops emphasized the role of TEF facilities in accelerating technology adoption and creating value for end users.

Impact

The event established a foundation for further cross-border cooperation. It demonstrated how TEF facilities enable the testing, validation, and implementation of drone technologies. Drone Day is a step toward a harmonized European approach where research, regulation, and market introduction converge.