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Støre: High North added value
04.05.2010
“What Norut is doing is completely in line with the High North strategy,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Jonas Gahr Støre when visiting Norut recently.
CEO Ivan C. Burkow (fourth from left) explains about Norut’s UAS programme to (from left) Tromsø Mayor Arild Hausberg, Foreign Affairs Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, State Secretary Erik Lahnstein, Senior Research Scientist Rune Storvold and Troms County Government Chairperson Pia Svendsgaard. Photo: Andreas Tøllefsen, Norut.
It was an interested and enthusiastic Foreign Affairs Minister who visited Norut on Thursday, April 29.
Støre became acquainted with the drone programme and the Barents BioCentre.
He received a briefing about Norut’s activity linked with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and about the plans for biotechnology efforts at the Tromsø Science Park.
Tromsø Mayor Arild Hausberg, Troms County Government Chairperson Pia Svensgaard and State Secretary Erik Lahnstein also visited Norut together with the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Will gladly return
Many people feel like a child again when they study the remote-controlled drones at close range. Whether the Foreign Affairs Minister’s fingers were itching to have a test flight will remain unsaid, but after the demonstration and briefing Støre remarked that he would gladly visit Norut again.
You are welcome to touch! The conversation was informal during the visit to Tromsø Science Park. (From left) Støre, Hausberg, Burkow and Lahnstein. Photo: Andreas Tøllefsen, Norut
The visit to the Tromsø Science Park took place in the calm of the afternoon after the Foreign Affairs Minister earlier in the day had meetings in Kirkenes and held a lecture on the High North for an audience of 570 at the University of Tromsø.
When Norut CEO Ivan C. Burkow informed about the drone’s range, Støre commented that it would be a little cramped to fly all the way to Oslo in the aircraft, generating laughter from the others in attendance.
Drones
It was clear that the opportunities offered by the UAS created enthusiasm. Ivan C. Burkow informed about the building up of the efforts with UAS remote sensing from the start in 2005 and up to the present day where the drones are being equipped with air particle sampling equipment to measure volcanic ash particles.
The drones can also be used for surveillance of land and sea areas, such as mapping of oil spills or for search and rescue work.
The scientists at Norut are also among the world leaders in the development of models for remote sensing of glaciers and sea ice.
Topical research
“What Norut is doing is completely in line with the High North strategy,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Støre.
National and local politicians alike gained an insight into the fact that the research in Tromsø is topical. The fact that the drones can be in the air and measuring volcanic ash particles within a few days generated enthusiasm in the audience.
The Foreign Affairs Minister was particularly interested in the fact that the research is so closely linked with industrial development. The development of both the UAS operative company Aranica and the Barents BioCentre are good examples of industry-oriented research.
Støre also had a sense for the manner in which different specialist environments are working together. The collaboration between Norut, Norinnova, Troms Kraft, Andøya Rocket Range and Aranica regarding UAS, and the biotechnology cluster in the Tromsø area, were sighted as examples of useful collaboration.
Mayor and engineer Arild Hausberg and Foreign Affairs Minister Jonas Gahr Støre take a close up look at the remote-controlled UAS. Photo: Andreas Tøllefsen, Norut
Proficient
While at the Tromsø Science Park, the Foreign Affairs Minister and his entourage also took a closer look at the third construction phase that will house the Barents BioCentre and is scheduled for completion in late 2010/early 2011. Following the visit to Norut, the group received a briefing about ProBio.
Following his visit, Jonas Gahr Støre wrote the following on Twitter: “Har besøkt Norut og bedriften ProBio i Tromsø. Nordområdeverdiskaping i praksis, havets råvarer og kapital, dyktig!” (I have visited Norut and the company ProBio in Tromsø. Increased added value in the High North in practice, marine raw materials and capital, proficient!)
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