Do you need to register your drone or yourself with the RDW? A clarification

With the introduction of mandatory registration for drone pilots, confusion often arises about what exactly needs to be registered with the RDW (National Road Transport Agency). A common question is whether you have to register your drone or whether you have to register yourself as a drone pilot. In this blog article, we will clarify this issue and make it clear what the requirements are.

Registration with RDW

Mandatory registration with the RDW applies to drone pilots in the Netherlands. However, registration refers to the owner/operator of the drone and not the drone itself. This means you have to register yourself as the owner/operator of the drone with the RDW, and not the drone itself. If you have a drone lighter than 250 grams and without a camera, registration is not necessary.

Registration of the drone

Contrary to what some people think, it is not necessary to register your drone with the RDW yourself. Registering the drone is not mandatory under current legislation. The focus is on identifying the owner/operator of the drone so that responsibility can be assigned in case of incidents or violations. It is therefore necessary to stick the registration number of the drone's owner/operator on the drone.

The registration process

The process of registering with the RDW as a drone owner/operator is relatively straightforward. You need to provide the required personal information, such as your name, address and contact details. This allows the RDW to identify you as the person responsible for the drone.

Benefits of registration

Although it may seem like an extra step, registering with the RDW as a drone owner/operator offers some important benefits. First, it shows that you are aware of the legal requirements and take responsibility for your drone activities. Moreover, registration can help recover lost drones as they can be identified by the registration number.

Click here To request your operator number.