The Research and Development Section is involved in the continuous research and development of the Department of Lands and Surveys, aiming at:

• The acquisition of the technical know-how and the development of technologies,
• The development of new products, systems and services,
• The opening of new markets (service users) and the expansion of applications,
• The participation in research teams developing innovative applications and advanced IT systems and tools, and
• Managing the change that comes with the automation of processes and the change in the ways of providing services to the public (e-government).

This sector draws on the expertise of the Administration and Support Branch, which is linked to the operational activities of the Department of Lands and Surveys, recording the users' needs and requirements, and the existing gaps in products and services. This section is a dynamic development and adaptation mechanism to the constant technological evolution by integrating technological knowledge, which is necessary for the design and development of innovative applications, product standards and modern IT services, which concern the main sections and branches of the Department's operational activity. It is generally accepted that developments in technology are moving at an accelerating pace, thus the Department and the areas in which its staff is engaged need to develop rapidly. Inevitably, in order to be prepared, as a Department, to keep abreast of technological developments, a larger number of officers of the Department will be needed to follow closely these drastic changes and make the necessary adjustments so that the Department can continue to be a pioneer in this field.

This Section emphasises the importance of proper and continuous training of staff on new products and services, such as new web applications. At the same time, this section has the leading role in upgrading the existing Land Information System, using and exploiting all modern IT tools. It is involved in the preparation of the necessary specifications and tenders, and is in constant contact with both the Support Section of the Department of IT Services and the Applications Section in order to define the new requirements for the implementation of the vision and mission of the Branch. Furthermore, once again in cooperation with the Application Support section, it launches proposals for the redesign of procedures throughout the Department.

The decisive role of this Section lies in its ability to constantly identify new and innovative requirements, and to engage in radical initiatives focused on the future of the Department, which are designed to lead it away from time-consuming bureaucratic and manual procedures. At the same time, its officers are expected to significantly contribute to various European research projects, in which the Department already participates, aiming at the interoperability at European Union level and the consolidation of Land Registers' procedures, resulting in providing prompt and accurate information to the European citizen. All this is done with a view to expanding the existing Land Information System to a National Land Information System.