IKN – Curiosity was clearly visible on the faces of students from an Islamic elementary school as they visited Nusantara Capital City (IKN) and witnessed the 2026 Indonesian Flying Robot Contest (KRTI) firsthand. For the students, the visit was not only an opportunity to see IKN up close, but also a chance to discover various unmanned aerial vehicle innovations developed by university students from across Indonesia.

Around the competition area, the students enthusiastically observed the aircraft being prepared by participating teams. Drones that they had previously seen only in videos or from a distance could now be viewed up close. Their different shapes, components, and ability to fly and be controlled immediately captured the students’ attention.

One student could hardly hide her excitement while watching a drone take off.

“It’s really exciting. This is my first time seeing a drone like this up close. When I saw it flying, I started wondering, how can something like that fly and be controlled?” she said enthusiastically.

Her simple question reflected how technology can spark children’s curiosity. The students were not merely watching flying machines; they began asking how the aircraft were built, how they moved through the air, and how university students were able to create such technology.

During the visit, the students also had the opportunity to observe the activities of KRTI 2026 participants more closely. Various components, devices, and aircraft in the preparation area attracted their attention. Several students could be seen carefully observing the equipment while discussing what they saw with their friends and teachers.

For the children, the experience made learning about technology feel more tangible. Terms such as drones, flying robots, and unmanned aerial vehicles were no longer concepts found only in books or on screens. They were now seeing them directly through innovations created by university students from different parts of Indonesia.

Their visit also highlighted another side of KRTI 2026. Beyond serving as a competition arena for university students, the event became an educational space where innovation could meet and inspire a younger generation.

From the simple question, “How can it fly?”, curiosity began to grow. The experience of seeing student innovations firsthand may become one of the stories they bring home and perhaps even the beginning of a deeper interest in science, technology, and innovation.

Amid the development of IKN as a future-oriented city, the presence of these elementary school students at KRTI 2026 offered an inspiring picture: the technology being tested today is not only competing for achievement, but also inspiring the generation that may create the next breakthrough.