Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Dr. Soetomo University have agreed to cooperate in conducting aerial photo mapping with the help of an unmanned aerial vehicle and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) hardware.

"I expect that this cooperation will not end on a piece of paper," head of BRIN's Earth and Maritime Research Organization (ORKM), Ocky Karna Radjasa, said in a statement posted on the agency's website on Friday.

"Various schemes and facilities that have been provided at BRIN can be utilized for the advancement of both parties. With this cooperation, a more realistic collaboration will emerge," he added.

The cooperation agreement has been inked between BRIN’s ORKM Geospatial Research Center (PRG) and the university's faculty of engineering.

The unmanned aerial vehicle that has been integrated with the GNSS antenna can be modified and utilized to obtain detailed aerial photographs.

In the future, BRIN and the university will conduct a drone test flight by integrating a camera trigger with the GNSS antenna.

According to the Indonesian Participation journal at a global navigation satellite system discussion during an UNCOPUOS Session (United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space), GNSS refers to a satellite constellation that provides time and location information.

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It emits signals of different frequencies continuously and is available at all locations on the Earth. The GNSS also plays an important role in navigation.

The GNSS currently includes the Global Positioning System (GPS) belonging to the United States, Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) owned by Russia, Galileo owned by the European Union, and Compass/Beidou owned by China.

Radjasa said he expects that the two parties will utilize the cooperation opportunity for the advancement of research and innovation as well as to bolster the quality of education in Indonesia.

Deputy Rector IV, public relations and cooperation department, Dr. Soetomo University, Nur Saidah, said he expects that through the cooperation and the support of the facilities that BRIN owns, research will become more advanced.

"We also still have limitation in laboratory facilities, so we seek industry cooperation. Let us hope that, with the result of this cooperation, we can receive help," she added.

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Translator: Martha H S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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