Environmental Monitoring in Holland, MI

Airports & LAANC Zones

• BIV — Park Township Airport (Class E airspace, approximately 4 NM north of downtown Holland, handles general aviation and corporate traffic for the Holland area, small GA facility)
• GRR — Gerald R. Ford International Airport (Class C airspace, approximately 25 NM east in Grand Rapids, major West Michigan commercial airport with over 2 million annual passengers)
• MKG — Muskegon County Airport (Class D airspace, approximately 30 NM north in Muskegon, handles GA, corporate, and Air National Guard A-10 operations)

Restricted Airspace

• Holland is primarily in Class E (uncontrolled) airspace. Park Township Airport (BIV) is a small GA airport north of Holland without Class D airspace, but operators should be aware of traffic pattern altitude and avoid the BIV traffic pattern area. The nearest controlled airspace is GRR Class C approximately 25 NM east. Most of Holland and the surrounding lakeshore area is in uncontrolled airspace, making it more accessible for commercial drone operations than cities under Class B/C/D.
• The I-196 and US-31 corridor near Holland has critical infrastructure considerations. MDOT has an active drone inspection program for bridge and highway infrastructure. I-196 connects Holland to Grand Rapids and is a major commercial corridor. The US-31 bypass around Holland and the I-196 interchange are major infrastructure assets requiring periodic inspection. The Chicago Drive and 16th Street bridges over the Macatawa River are major infrastructure assets.
• Holland is home to several major industrial facilities including the Holland Board of Public Works power plant, the Haworth headquarters (office furniture manufacturing), the Herman Miller (MillerKnoll) manufacturing facility, and the Prince Corporation campus. Industrial and corporate facilities have enhanced security considerations for commercial drone operations. The Haworth and Herman Miller/MillerKnoll facilities are part of the West Michigan office furniture manufacturing cluster and have ongoing facility expansion and renovation activity.
• Lake Michigan and the Holland State Park waterfront have security and environmental considerations. Holland State Park and the Big Red Lighthouse area restrict unauthorized drone flights over state park property. The Holland Harbor pier and the channel entrance have U.S. Coast Guard security considerations. The Lake Michigan shoreline and Macatawa River corridor have environmental monitoring demand. The Macatawa River watershed and Lake Macatawa water quality monitoring create ongoing environmental aerial imaging demand.
• Hope College and the Holland downtown district have educational facility and privacy considerations. Hope College campus includes academic buildings, the DeVos Fieldhouse, and residential facilities. The downtown Holland commercial district along 8th Street has dense retail and residential development. Operations near the campus and downtown area should coordinate with college administration and the downtown development authority. The historic Holland downtown is a major tourist destination with the annual Tulip Time Festival.

Local Ordinances

Holland operates under the Michigan Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act (Public Act 451 of 2016, MCL 259.301 et seq.) which preempts local regulation of drone flight paths and navigable airspace. The City of Holland requires a business license for commercial drone operators. Drone takeoff and landing in city parks and state parks requires coordination with the Holland Parks and Recreation Department and the Michigan DNR, including Holland State Park, Kollen Park, and Window on the Waterfront. Operations near the Holland Harbor and U.S. Coast Guard station should coordinate with Coast Guard security. Commercial operators should carry minimum $1M liability insurance for aerial imaging projects.