Drones to protect whales: Chile and Russia agree

The Chilean company "Acústica Marina," dedicated to underwater monitoring for the detection and preservation of whales, will sign an agreement with two Russian technology companies within the framework of the "Unmanned Systems: Technologies of the Future" forum, according to its executive director, Marcela Ruiz.

"We are on the way to signing collaboration agreements that will allow us to seek the resources needed for cooperation in our countries," he noted.

He noted that these are "two companies that are also scientifically and technologically based , of course, and with which we have seen a roadmap that can allow us to complement our technologies."

Both, he said, are dedicated to "satellite image scanning and equipment development."

"We believe there is a tremendous opportunity to monitor the sea with hydroacoustic means, but also from airspace, with data that can be made public and also thanks to the installation of hardware to collect information in situ," he explained.

The founder and director of 'Acústica Marina' arrived in Moscow as part of a Chilean delegation to "understand the development of high-level disruptive technologies" in Russia and "connect with partners and understand if there are complementary technologies."

"Everyone in the world faces challenges. We often have the same problems , and what we all want is to help solve them. And we know this will be through technology, innovation, and science. Personally, I'm very interested in everything related to the sea," he confessed.

He highlighted his interest in the unmanned vehicles Russia is developing to monitor lake and marine areas.

"But I certainly think I'm also intrigued by the advancements in airspace, and I think airspace is a place that also allows us to understand the sea," he added.

For Ruiz, both Russia and Latin America, despite being so different, have common problems "that make us sensitive."

"There is no barrier related to culture or language," he asserted, emphasizing the importance of "understanding the special ways we communicate."

The Skolkovo Innovation Center—Russia's Silicon Valley—is hosting the "Unmanned Systems: Technologies of the Future" forum this week, showcasing key high-tech equipment projects applied to important branches of the national economy.