MAGNETOMETRY &

RADIO EM

Airborne Robotsfor Exploration Geoscience

1

Aerobotic Geophysical Systems, LLC

AGS provides UAS geophysical data acquisition services and custom built UAS geophysical data acquisition systems using airborne robots for:

2

› resource exploration - mineral, groundwater, and hydrocarbon

› subsurface characterization - environmental and engineering

› buried object detection - unexploded ordnance (UXO)

› subsurface infrastructure delineation

› geoscientific mapping

1. Low Data Point Cost

2. Improved Productivity

3. Higher Definition

4. Greater Sensitivity

5. Access to difficult & risky areas

6. More Data Overall

7. Reduced Risk to personnel & public

3

The advantages of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones are:

4

AGS is presently offering the following sensor configurations for small UAS.

• 3 axis Fluxgate Magnetometer

• Radio Frequency EM

• Visible light camera

• Near infrared camera

• Thermal infrared camera

5

AGS is operates the following small UAS platforms.

• Hummingbird - single or multiple rotor

• magnetometry

• radio frequency EM

• photoimaging

• Sparrow - fixed wing, single electric motor • magnetometry

• photoimaging

The SparrowA UAS for low altitude, high definition magnetometry

Wing Span: 1.8 mTotal Weight: < 5kgSpeed: 40 to 100 km/hFlight time: 60 min (max) Range: 10 kmMax wind speed: 40 km/h Motor type: electricPayload: 1 kg # operators: 2

Magnetometer: 3 Axis fluxgateSensitivity: < 1 nT Survey Noise level: ~ 7 nT Data storage: SD card (4Gbyte)Data logger power: separate batteryPositioning data: aircraft GPS navigation

6

The HummingbirdA UAS for low altitude, high definition magnetometry

Aircraft Systems single rotor, quadcopter,& octocopter

Speed: 0 to 80 km/hFlight time: < 60 minRange: 10 kmMax wind speed: 50+ km/h Motor type: electric or gasPayload: 1+ kg # operators: 2

Magnetometer: 3 Axis fluxgateSensitivity: < 1 nT Survey Noise level: ~ 7 nT Data storage: SD card (4Gbyte)Data logger power: separate batteryPositioning data: aircraft GPS navigation

7

Marconi Hummingbird UAS for low altitude, radio frequency EM data acquisition

8

Applications of UAS magnetometry

• Geological Mapping – lithology, structure, etc.

• Detecting and delineating undocumented and poorly documented wells.

• Detection and mapping of buried pipelines, etc.

• Detecting and mapping buried ferromagnetic objects and UXO.

9

Applications of Radio Frequency EM

• Geological Mapping – lithology, structure, etc.

• Precious and base metal exploration

• Fracture mapping for groundwater resources in crystalline rock.

• Contaminant plume delineation

• Detection and mapping of buried pipelines, metallic objects, etc.

10

Benefits of UAS magnetometry

Cost: ~ 20% of cost for a conventional ground magnetic survey.

~ 50% or less of the cost of a typical high resolution airborne magnetic (HRAM) survey.

Acquisition Rate: 10 to 20 times the daily coverage of a ground magnetic survey with equivalent or better spatial resolution.

50% of the daily coverage of a similar HRAM survey.

Data Quality:As good or better than a conventional ground magnetic survey.

Enhanced detail compared to a typical HRAM survey.

11

Case History – Maar Volcano (Germany)

Objective: (1) compare UAS magnetic data with magnetic data acquired with an ultra-light aircraft ; (2) map geology for groundwater exploration program.

12

UAS operator & control unit

Raw Data

Processed Data

Merged Data

Case History – Landslide (Germany)

Objective: Search for rail cars and other objects buried in landslide.

13

Case History – UXO (Europe) Objective: Search for buried unexploded ordnance.

14

Case History – Mineral Exploration

UAS Magnetic Map of Iron Deposit in Portugal.

UAS Magnetic Map of Copper deposit in China.

15

Case History – Radio Frequency EMObjective: near surface resistivity mapping

16

Case History – Thermal Infrared Imaging Objective: detect defective panels in solar farm

Quadcopter with TIR camera

Survey flight path over solar farm

Thermal Infrared Image of solar panels – red spot indicates bad panel.

17

For more information, contact:

18

Ronald S. Bell telephone: (+01) 720-220-3596e-mail: rbell@igsdenver.com

Johannes B. Stolltelephone: (+49) 163-97-55-472e-mail: jstoll@mgt-geo.com

Denver, CO USA Celle, Germany