Sophisticated Unmanned Aerial Solution for Mine Action Missions

Sophisticated unmanned aerial solution based on UAS kit by Ukrainian Multirotor Technologies, consists of long-endurance Tethered Drone System and long-range Hybrid Multirotor UAV that provide different assist during demining mission activities or humanitarian mine action. 

?Long-range drone – Cicada-M is capable of stay in the air up to 2.5 hours and carries up 2.5 kg of payload when operating. This may be a usual payload like a video/thermal camera or mounted payloads like a magnetometer or GPR. Opportunity using both external and internal devices(gimbals) opens a big spectrum of application during a humanitarian mine action mission.

In demining operations, hybrid UAV can make for searching and identification UXO/EOD/ERW or landmines. After these preventive measures designed the sapper squad gets a lot of additional data and a map of the area with contaminated areas and its dangerous borders. Also long-range drones useful for monitor progress and assist in the planning of the mission, and analyze the quality of demining works(post-operating data collection).

Here is some list of functions that can provide unmanned systems with long-range flight time: 

• Infra-red(thermal) search for non-metallic cluster munitions, magnetometer(MFAM) for UXO detection, ground penetration radar for different clusters of munitions.
• Non-technical and technical survey support.
• Confirmation of explosive hazard (EH) territory contamination.
• Establishing target patterns and direction and investigating ground signs on operational sites.
• Observation in restricted access areas.
• Reconnaissance prior to entering previous work sites after a security incident.
• Area reduction and perimeter markings.
• Using drones pictures for operations planning.
• Visual inspection and post-operating data collection for checking the quality of demining operation(fast and safe collection of GPS points).

Tethered drone system – Cobra is capable of taking up to 3 kg of payload when operating at 100 meters or 5 kg when operating at 50 meters. This may be video equipment for observation or monitoring perimeter or a signal repeater for closed communication between operating team or increasing range of data link for UGVs and other equipment(robotics) that involves in the mine action.

The mainly tethered drone is intended for command, coordination and retranslation application in demining operations. In simple words this apparatus like “EYE IN SKY”.

Here is some list of functions that can provide tethered drone system with long-endurance flight time(based on discussion with mine action industry expert and drone enthusiasts): 

• Useful for keeping track of where teams are on large multi team sites.
• Good for QA of teams as they work with good optics on the drone.
• Good for planning, able to see all terrain in a multi team area.
• Good if there is an accident, for guiding medics to the area.
• Provision of communications for ground-based robotic troops. 
• Protective security detail surveillance (e.g., vehicle breakdowns in hostile areas).
• Video monitoring and demining operation coordination(EYE IN THE SKY)

Ukrainian Multirotor Technologies going to present this sophisticated unmanned aerial solution on “The Seventh Mine Action Technology Workshop” that will take place in Basel, Switzerland from 7 to 8 November 2019. The theme for this year is “Robotics and Remote Sensing in Mine Action.”