Gouda deploys drones to map solar panels in historic city centre
Starting 7 April, Gouda will use drones to survey solar panels on historic buildings, assessing compliance with new relaxed rules. This initiative aims to balance sustainability with heritage preservation, impacting property owners and energy efficiency efforts in the city centre.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Survey Start Date | 7 April 2026 |
| Location | Gouda city centre, protected cityscape |
| Number of Historic Buildings | Approximately 1,200 |
| Drone Model | DJI M30T (standard and thermal imaging camera) |
| Regulation Update | New Regulation on Heritage and Sustainability (effective 17 March 2026) |
| Responsible Authority | Municipality of Gouda and Environmental Service Midden-Holland (ODMH) |
| Purpose | Baseline measurement of solar panel use and compliance |
The Municipality of Gouda is responsible for urban planning and heritage preservation, ensuring that sustainability measures align with the protection of historic buildings. The Environmental Service Midden-Holland (ODMH) supports local governments in environmental monitoring and compliance, including the use of innovative technologies like drones.
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Drone survey of Goudas city centre to scan solar panels
From 7 April, a drone will regularly be seen flying over the city. On behalf of the Municipality of Gouda, the Environmental Service Midden-Holland (ODMH) will begin a so-called baseline measurement of the use and placement of solar panels in Gouda’s city centre.
The baseline measurement is an initial, objective representation of the current situation. This means mapping where solar panels are located and how they are installed. This survey will help determine how the situation compares to the recently relaxed municipal policy on solar panels. The analysis will inform subsequent steps.
Making historic buildings more energy-efficient
The background to this drone operation is Gouda’s aim to make it easier to improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings. For private owners, this includes more flexible options for installing solar panels. Gouda has around 1,200 such historic buildings. Recently, the new municipal Regulation on Heritage and Sustainability was adopted. This makes it easier and more feasible to make historic buildings and properties within the protected cityscape more sustainable, while preserving their historical value.
Solar panels that were already installed in the protected cityscape before the new regulation came into force on 17 March 2026 – and did not meet the then-applicable rules – were temporarily tolerated pending the new regulation with more lenient conditions.
Insight into the current situation
The drone-based baseline measurement will provide insight into the current situation and help assess whether existing solar panel installations comply with the new rules. Depending on the findings, various follow-up steps may be taken. For example, the current placement of solar panels may be approved, adjustments may be required, or it may be decided that panels must be removed. The municipal executive board will still need to decide how to act on the results of the baseline measurement.
By using drones, the ODMH can efficiently, safely, and accurately survey the entire protected cityscape without disrupting the surroundings. In Gouda, the ODMH will operate the DJI M30T drone, which is equipped with both a standard and a thermal imaging camera, as well as a precise navigation system.
Potential for broader application
“Drones offer an innovative way to effectively monitor compliance,” says Alderman Thierry van Vugt, responsible for the project. “Depending on the experience gained from this baseline measurement, drones may be used more widely in the future.”
During the drone operation, the Municipality and ODMH will comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means that no more data will be collected than necessary for the stated purpose. Property owners looking to make their historic buildings more sustainable are advised to consult the heritage advisors at the ODMH. More information about the new Regulation on Heritage and Sustainability can be found on the Duurzaam maken monument page.