Daring Dive into Dynamic Drones

From sports to finance to the world of robotics, Annemarie Kraan’s (Class of 2005) versatile path from JIS onward has been marked with purposeful opportunities and pivots — each transition a stepping stone built on the values of resilience, adaptability, and lifelong learning so typical of a JIS Dragon. 

As one-half of the sporty “Kraan sisters”, Annemarie was known to friends and classmates as a formidable competitor on the basketball court and softball field (where she served as captain of her Varsity team), as well as on the soccer pitch. That’s right: Annemarie participated in all three IASAS seasons every year from Grade 9 until graduation.

“[Athletics] have always been a big part of my life. I also played on the rugby team at university,” she recalls, adding that sports were a “center point” that kept her grounded amid her pursuit of a degree in marketing at Babson College in Massachusetts.

After completing a master’s in international business at Maastricht University, this athlete-turned-business-whiz returned to Indonesia to dive into a career in the fire safety industry. It was here that she first encountered the potential of drone technology. 

"Outside of Indonesia, fire response is one of the first use cases for drones. From there, I thought, why don't we do that here?" 

This spark set her on a path toward Halo Robotics, which she co-founded in 2014 to offer commercial drone applications focusing on sectors such as oil and gas, mining, and agriculture. Unlike hobby drones, Halo Robotics' drones are high-spec devices designed for surveying, surveillance, cargo logistics, and data collection in challenging environments. The company is now Indonesia’s leading commercial drone supplier.

"We were basically the first ones in this industry in Indonesia, so we certainly suffered from first-mover disadvantage," she recalls, adding that overcoming initial challenges, including negative connotations associated with drones, she and her team have seen the market grow exponentially. 

"Technology is moving fast, and with the introduction of AI, it’s already being used daily. We're completely focused on Indonesia. It's still largely untapped compared to the rest of the world, and it's basically the perfect market for drones.”

Halo Robotics’s work includes using drones to survey offshore oil platforms, agricultural lands, and even development sites at Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara (IKN), where a new JIS campus is in the pipeline.

Annemarie’s journey into the field of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), despite her non-engineering background, is a testament to her adaptability. 

"I actually didn't even realize I was truly in this whole STEM ecosystem," she admits. "I'm not an engineer myself, but I've learned everything about drones and commercial drone technology by osmosis." 

Balancing a demanding career with family life, Annemarie continues to value the benefits of sports, reflecting on the impact of her JIS Athletics experience and what it taught her about staying resilient and adaptive in the “real world”.

"Work occupies most of my day, but I still try to get in my sports in the morning. This morning, I had a quick round of tennis and then some badminton,” she says. "My experience playing sports at JIS really taught me a work ethic and dedication. If you want to get good at anything, you have to put the time in and work hard at it. Also, you have to have confidence in yourself."

As Halo Robotics continues to innovate, Annemarie, too, remains at the forefront of drone technology as the company’s Finance Director. 

"We're excited about the future and the potential of drone technology to transform how we work and live," she shares. "It's a dynamic field, and being able to contribute to its growth is incredibly rewarding."

You can also catch up with the other "Sporty Kraan Sister", Alessandra, and her ongoing commitment to sports at JIS coaching the Varsity Badminton Team. See Badminton Bonanza.