ICT

Home page

ICT

Azerbaijan to bring drones for radiological research in Karabakh for first time

16 October 2025 16:03 (UTC +04:00)

The Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA), operating under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, is implementing the national project AZB1004 themed “Enhancing the Capabilities of the National Laboratory for the Monitoring and Expertise of Nuclear and Radioactive Materials in Azerbaijan” within the framework of the technical cooperation programme with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said IDDA in response to APA-Economics' inquiry.

According to the information, as part of the project, a Nuclear Forensics Laboratory is being established under the structure of IDDA by the IAEA, and personnel training is being carried out in this direction.

Currently according to the project plan, drones equipped with MS-100 gamma spectrometers with lightweight CsI detectors are planned to be delivered and trained for the Nuclear Research Department of IDDA for real-time low-altitude airborne radiation measurement and mapping during radiological testing and research work.

The drones intended for radiological search are planned to be used by the Nuclear Research Department of IDDA in the territories liberated from occupation, which have not been fully cleared of mines and unexploded remnants of war, in order to determine nuclear and radiation safety.

The application of the mentioned equipment by IDDA will accelerate the search for orphan radioactive sources and radioactive waste in the liberated territories, and will enable the use of innovative digital solutions in radiological and radioecological research.

Note that the Innovation and Digital Development Agency has been regularly conducting research in this direction within the framework of the implementation of the clause “Conducting radiological and radioecological research in the liberated territories” of the “First State Program on the Great Return to the Liberated Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.” The results obtained from these studies are submitted to the relevant state institutions. In this regard, the mentioned drone equipment will serve to carry out these studies in a broader and more efficient manner. At the same time, by reducing safety risks to personnel in unexplored areas, it will form a radiological search system that allows for rapid and effective assessment of radiation safety.

The drones, by being equipped with a high-precision ZenMuse camera, a LiDAR system, as well as the MS-100 radiometry module, enable the simultaneous collection of both visual and radiological data. This allows for the safe and rapid remote assessment of the radiological situation in areas that are difficult to access and pose risks to humans—particularly in territories that have not been fully cleared of mines.

The data to be collected via the drones will be used for mapping radiation background in the area, identifying potential contamination zones, and monitoring the radioecological situation. This is of great importance both for environmental protection and for ensuring radiation safety during restoration and resettlement activities in the region.

The training to be conducted on drone operation and data analysis will serve to enhance the technical skills of our qualified specialists and to align radiological monitoring methodologies with international standards through the application of smart drone technologies.

Thus, this initiative holds strategic importance in terms of expanding the use of innovative technologies in the field of radioecological safety and radiation control in our country, as well as providing scientific and technological support for the restoration of a sustainable and safe ecosystem in the liberated territories.