CANADA MAGNETOMETER SURVEY
ISS Aerospace's UAV Magnetometer Survey Reveals Titanium Riches In Remote Canada
In November 2022, ISS Aerospace was commissioned to conduct a UAV based Magnetometer survey in the far North-East of Canada. The aim of the survey was to prospect for Titanium deposits. To do this, a Flux Gate Magnetometer array was used on a Sensus M8-XP to try and identify potential buried ore bodies. In this instance, Iron ore was the indicator for Titanium deposits due to the ferrous content exhibiting a magnetic field.
The location posed several challenges, comprising of rugged terrain with steep contours and vast forested wilderness. Locations were inaccessible by vehicle due to this terrain and large volumes of low-lying water and river ways. All transport to and from the survey area and between locations inside the site was only possible by manned helicopter.
Autonomous Pre-Planned Route Navigation
High-Resolution 3D Magnetic Mapping
360º Collision Avoidance System
Advanced Laser and Radar Altimeters
Existing surveys had been completed by manned aircraft, but the resolution and scope of these scans were not sufficient for accurate prospecting by teams on the ground. This is where the use of a UAV was essential. It allowed for much more granularity in the survey lines, the ability to fly lower, and at an overall lower cost, with fewer safety concerns for involved personnel.
All operations were carried out in a turnkey fashion; utilising the Sensus command units and mission planning software. The survey site was entered into the application, and the task broken into sectors which corresponded to segments of the overall site. Once uploaded to the vehicle, the UAV is able to fly the pre-planned route autonomously – taking advantage of the laser and radar altimeters for accurate height holding above the terrain. As an extra safety precaution, the Sensus UAS is equipped with 360° collision avoidance to ensure it doesn’t fly into any obstacles along the way.
The UAS configuration used for this operation is available from ISS Aerospace as a pre-packaged turn-key solution.
The location posed several challenges, comprising of rugged terrain with steep contours and vast forested wilderness. Locations were inaccessible by vehicle due to this terrain and large volumes of low-lying water and river ways. All transport to and from the survey area and between locations inside the site was only possible by manned helicopter.
