Immigration and ITB Synergy Initiates “Digital Fence” Drone Patrols for Border Surveillance

JAKARTA — The Directorate General of Immigration is partnering with the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology (FTMD ITB) to initiate a "Digital Fence" for immigration surveillance at the border. This was explained by the Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko, following a discussion meeting with ITB representatives on Tuesday (June 30, 2026) at the Directorate General of Immigration building.

“It all started with a sense of concern and curiosity when I attended a defense exhibition in Singapore a few months ago. I saw a wide range of advanced technologies for border security and other applications there, yet none of them were made by our own people. And yet, our domestic workforce possesses the competitiveness needed to produce goods of comparable quality,” said Hendarsam.

“That is what gave me the idea to partner with Indonesia’s top university in the field of technology to initiate the ‘Digital Fence’—a border security system utilizing drones. We have a vast land border spanning 3,111 kilometers that is highly vulnerable to illegal crossings,” he continued.

Hendarsam further added, "Of that total distance (3,111 km), there are only 18 State Border Posts (PLBN) and 38 Border Crossing Posts (PLB) available across Kalimantan, Papua, and East Nusa Tenggara. Even then, three of the PLBNs are not yet operational, and only seven of the Border Crossing Posts actually facilitate crossings; the remainder are either inactive or hindered by border crossing agreements."

Based on border crossing data from land-based Immigration Checkpoints (TPI) for the period of January to April 2026, the volume of authorized travelers reached 679,867. However, the real challenge lies in monitoring illegal crossings via unofficial routes along the border. This situation is exacerbated by limited digital infrastructure, security risks to personnel in conflict zones, and high vulnerability to cross-border crimes such as human trafficking, human smuggling, and the smuggling of commodities.

“We are prioritizing this ‘Digital Fence’ for land areas in Kalimantan bordering Malaysia, Papua bordering Papua New Guinea, and East Nusa Tenggara bordering Timor-Leste. Meanwhile, for maritime areas, the focus is directed toward the Riau Islands, Batam, and the surrounding crossing routes,” explained Hendarsam.

To this end, the Immigration authorities plan to optimize drone technology—developed by ITB since 2019 in collaboration with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI)—designed for continuous 24-hour operation along the border, powered by solar panels.

This aerial surveillance system combines two types of drones operating as a unified unit: the HALE (High-Altitude Long-Endurance) drone, capable of maintaining a constant altitude of 1,000 meters for 24 hours to conduct long-range perimeter monitoring; and the Mantis drone, which performs tactical approaches and short-range visual interceptions once the HALE drone detects suspicious movement. This technology has previously been implemented in the agricultural sector with satisfactory results.

“A digital fence cannot physically stop people, but it provides real-time situational awareness. When a drone detects movement in a border blind spot, the system immediately transmits the coordinates to the nearest immigration post or border guards. This measure can drastically reduce the response time of conventional patrols,” added Hendarsam, emphasizing that this is a key advantage of this collaborative system.

"Drones also extend the operational reach of our personnel. Given the vastness of the area under surveillance, having a fast and flexible 'aerial eye' provides accurate preliminary data before the team moves in to take enforcement action. This is far more cost-effective than operating manned aerial assets," explained Hendarsam.

As a long-term initiative, the Digital Fence program is projected to serve as the primary foundation for building cyber resilience within the national immigration sector.

"The collaboration between Immigration, ITB, and PT DI represents our effort to ensure that the oversight of national sovereignty does not rely on foreign systems. By securing unofficial routes through cyber technology and domestic aerial patrols, we can minimize opportunities for human trafficking perpetrators and illegal border crossers, while simultaneously realizing sustainable national technological independence," he concluded.