The invention relates to a drive apparatus comprising a housing, a transmitter, a drive element in the form of a piezoelectric or electrostrictive actuator and an element which is intended to be driven, wherein the transmitter is in frictional contact with the element which is intended to be driven and makes contact with the drive element by means of at least one first end face and is in contact with a sprung element by means of at least one second end face, wherein both the drive element and the sprung element are supported on the housing in a direction which is substantially parallel to the direction of extent of the element which is intended to be driven, and the transmitter is surrounded at least in sections by a prestressing element in such a way that the prestressing element is at a distance from the housing, wherein the element which is intended to be driven projects through the sprung element and through the transmitter and through the drive element.