ITK to Host 2026 Indonesia Flying Robot Contest in IKN
Balikpapan (ANTARA) - The Kalimantan Institute of Technology (ITK) has been entrusted to host the 2026 Indonesia Flying Robot Contest (KRTI), an event that will bring together 94 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology teams from 43 universities across Indonesia within the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) region and the ITK Balikpapan campus.
Speaking in Balikpapan on Sunday, the Rector of ITK, Prof. Agus Rubiyanto, explained that being named the host is both an honour and a significant responsibility for the institution, which serves as a buffer zone for IKN, in driving national aerospace technology independence.
“As a technological university growing within the IKN buffer zone, we want to ensure this event runs smoothly and serves as a space for students from all over Indonesia to showcase their best work,” he said.
The prestigious annual competition, initiated by the Directorate of Learning and Student Affairs of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, is scheduled to take place over five days, from 21 to 25 September 2026.
A series of the nation’s prominent universities will send their best teams to this final showdown, including two Kalimantan-based institutions: Mulawarman University (Unmul) and Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM).
Agus expressed his hope that the hosting of KRTI 2026 would not merely be a competition, but rather an incubator for the birth of young talents capable of advancing national UAV technology.
He explained that 373 students will compete in designing, building, and testing UAV systems independently. The utilisation of UAV technology is considered highly strategic for supporting the needs of future cities, ranging from regional mapping, area monitoring, and navigation to disaster mitigation and logistics distribution.
To support the smooth operation and flight safety during the competition, the university has coordinated closely with various relevant agencies, including the Dhomber Balikpapan Air Force Base (Lanud).
“ITK has coordinated with various parties, including Lanud Dhomber, to support aspects of flight, safety, licensing, and technical readiness in the field,” added Agus.
The hosting of KRTI in the IKN region is seen as providing a unique significance, as it brings together the vision of developing a technology-based future city with the innovations and ideas of Indonesia’s younger generation.