Indonesia tests indigenously-made drone

JAKARTA - Indonesian research and technology agency (BPPT) tested an unmanned plane in an air force base on Thursday, designated for military purpose, local website vivanews.co.id reported.

"This drone is made for military purpose, tasked to monitor certain areas from the air," a BPPT researcher, Adrian Zulkifli, said on the sidelines of the testing session conducted in Halim Perdanakusumah air force base.

He said that the drone was developed since 2002, adding that the agency has produced a total of five drones worth up to 8 billion rupiah ($834,600).

Indonesian Research and Technology Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said earlier that production of drones is essential to monitor remote areas across the country that barely able to be accessed by humans.