Version 1
: Received: 14 October 2024 / Approved: 15 October 2024 / Online: 15 October 2024 (11:41:57 CEST)
How to cite:
Lekhak, S.; Ientilucci, E. J.; Brinkley, A. W. Viability of Substituting Handheld Metal Detectors with UAV-Based Systems for Landmine and UXO Detection. Preprints2024, 2024101187. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1187.v1
Lekhak, S.; Ientilucci, E. J.; Brinkley, A. W. Viability of Substituting Handheld Metal Detectors with UAV-Based Systems for Landmine and UXO Detection. Preprints 2024, 2024101187. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1187.v1
Lekhak, S.; Ientilucci, E. J.; Brinkley, A. W. Viability of Substituting Handheld Metal Detectors with UAV-Based Systems for Landmine and UXO Detection. Preprints2024, 2024101187. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1187.v1
APA Style
Lekhak, S., Ientilucci, E. J., & Brinkley, A. W. (2024). Viability of Substituting Handheld Metal Detectors with UAV-Based Systems for Landmine and UXO Detection. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1187.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Lekhak, S., Emmett J. Ientilucci and Anthony Wayne Brinkley. 2024 "Viability of Substituting Handheld Metal Detectors with UAV-Based Systems for Landmine and UXO Detection" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1187.v1
Abstract
Landmines, with more than 600 varieties and an estimated 110 million scattered across various regions worldwide, pose a significant threat globally. Heavily found landmines like TM-62M, MON-100, PDM-1, etc., in the recent Russia-Ukraine war, confirm the continued incorporation of metals in munitions. Traditional handheld metal detectors are still state-of-the-art for technical sub-surface demining procedures but are slow, unsafe, and expensive. Drone-based metal detection techniques can provide promising solutions for the rapid and effective detection of landmines; however, their reliability and accuracy remain a concern, as a single miss can cost a life. In our research, we present the results of a comprehensive comparative analysis of three distinct metal detectors: the EM61 Lite, a highly sensitive air-borne metal detector specially designed for UXO detection; the CTX 3030, a traditional handheld all-metal detector; and the ML 3S, a traditional handheld ferrous-only detector. We tested these detectors in a test field containing various inert landmines similar to those currently found in landmine-affected countries, including Ukraine, the US, Russia, and Afghanistan. Our findings highlight the possible challenges and limitations of employing current airborne systems in practical scenarios. Our results also showcase the need for advanced image processing techniques for analyzing airborne metal detector data.
Keywords
Landmines; Unexploded Ordnances (UXOs); unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); drones; metal detectors; CTX 3030; ML 3S, EM61 Lite
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Remote Sensing
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
