A new regional initiative is seeing Australian and Indonesian researchers using drones, sensors and AI to explore better environmental management.
By Professor Zahra Gharineiat and Associate Professor Syed Shams, UniSQ
A new Australia–Indonesia research initiative is exploring how drones, environmental data sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) could support smarter environmental monitoring and sustainability decision-making.
Led by the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), the project brought together researchers, Indonesian industry, universities and technology partners to investigate the potential of drone-based air-quality monitoring at Jababeka Industrial Estate, one of Indonesia’s largest industrial areas.
More than 22 industrial tenants participated in a workshop at Jababeka, where researchers demonstrated how drones could potentially collect environmental information across different locations and heights.
Discussions also explored how emerging technologies could complement existing monitoring systems and provide more detailed environmental data to support sustainability management and reporting.
The project also highlighted the growing importance of reliable environmental information as Indonesia strengthens its sustainability and climate-related reporting requirements, including PSPK 1 and PSPK 2.
Opportunities for longer-term collaboration
A second workshop at President University engaged more than 100 students and academic staff, including accounting and business students.
The sessions explored how environmental data, technology and AI are becoming increasingly relevant to business decision-making, corporate accountability and sustainability reporting.
The initiative brings together three important areas — environmental technology, sustainability and education — while creating opportunities for longer-term collaboration between UniSQ, President University, PT Jababeka Infrastruktur, ENMINTECH International and Indonesian industry.
Future collaboration could include:
- Longer-term air-quality monitoring;
- Integration of drone observations with ground-based systems;
- AI-enabled environmental data analysis;
- Industry case studies;
- Student projects;
- Researcher exchanges; and
- Joint research and grant applications.
Two-way knowledge exchange
The project is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australia–Indonesia Institute, reflecting the importance of strengthening people-to-people and institutional connections between Australia and Indonesia.
Rather than simply transferring technology from one country to another, the project is built around two-way knowledge exchange.
Australia and Indonesia face shared environmental and sustainability challenges, while bringing different experiences, expertise and perspectives to developing practical solutions.
The project team hopes the initiative will provide a foundation for a lasting Australia–Indonesia partnership, connecting research, education, industry and emerging technologies to address environmental and sustainability challenges.
Professor Zahra Gharineiat is Professor (Surveying and Positioning) in the School of Science, Engineering and Digital Technologies at the University of Southern Queensland. Associate Professor Syed Shams is Associate Professor (Accounting and Finance) in the School of Business, Law, Humanities and Pathways, also at UniSQ.
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