CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) has successfully conducted a drone based magnetic survey in the Ladakh region in September last year for the first time for an area of about 45 sq.km and the data is currently being analysed by the scientists here, it was disclosed on Monday.
The premier scientific institute has used a five kilo payload capacity drone carrying an important sensor to record the data for sub-surface level area. It was also actually looking for a high payload capacity of about 500 kg for carrying sophisticated cameras and instruments, also to be developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) but there has been a delay in making the big drone.
Former Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) P.S. Goel told a gathering of scientists at the institute on the inaugural day of the ‘One Week – One Lab’ programme that several projects have been tied up with the higher payload drone, but pointed out that there are constraints as a government organisation.
Scientists said a drone capable of higher payload would help in studying deeper into the earth by 500 metres and larger area besides taking up geothermal studies in the tough terrain. Mr. Goel called for an industry demand-driven science so that the institute becomes an ‘enabler’. Fusion of different scientific methods and developing applications of different aspects of science were important, he said.
CSIR-DG Kalaiselvi, through a video-link from New Delhi, said while it was great to have landed on the moon and send a spacecraft to study the sun, it was critical to know more about the earth’s structure and sustainability. “NGRI has a great responsibility in the research for water, minerals, metals and minerals as there could be future fights for their sustainable or divisive applications. And, we have to put the community needs first,” she said.
CSIR-NGRI Director Prakash Kumar said the institute is working in an integrated early warning system for natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides and has initiated geothermal studies of the Ladakh region with the help of a drone besides playing a role in providing key scientific seismological inputs for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chandrayan Mission.
TS Principal Secretary for IT & Industries Jayesh Ranjan called CSIR labs to open up for collaborations with the start ups and industry for scaling up innovations taking a leaf from the Defence Ministry. He also offered the government infrastructure support if the scientists wanted to take up any major works on a pilot scale. The government with the help of the agriculture university had involved the industry, start ups and others to choose six technologies to be used for improving agriculture from about 80 plus technologies.
Mr. Kumar also signed three memorandum of understandings with IIT-Chennai, SRTM University-Nanded and Bundelkhand University-Jhansi to foster research collaboration between NGRI and these institutes. Later, Mr. Goel inaugurated the R&D Exhibition showcasing the research accomplishments of the institute.
