A method for operating an actuating element (30) comprises the following method steps: controlling the rotational frequency of an electric motor (1) to a constant value, calculating an estimate (FE) for the actuating force (F) acting on the actuating element, comparing the estimate (FE) with a predetermined limiting value, and detecting a current position of the actuating element (30) for the predetermined limiting value and assigning the detected position to a final position stored in a travel model. An actuating drive under the control of force and operating according to this method is low in noise and energy-efficient and can therefore be used, in particular, even to operate a battery-fed radiator valve driven in a wireless fashion.