Table 1
UAV Applications for Technical Survey.
| Technical Survey Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Assist in planning of demining operations | Selection of appropriate tool; selection of the best technical survey path; analysis of environmental conditions of terrain; identification of likely mine locations |
| Monitor demining operations, report on progress and completion | Monitor mine action operation progress, estimate completion date, progress documentation |
| Map demolitions and identify patterns | Completion documentation, identification of possible patterns for future survey work |
[i] Source: Based on senseFly (2016: 5).
Table 2
Comparison of Military and Humanitarian Deming.
| Military Demining | Humanitarian Demining | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Rapid military passage (e.g., breaching mine fields) | Long-term restoration of land for civilian use |
| Timing | During war/conflict | After war/conflict, during reconstruction |
| Clearance goal | 70–90% | Virtually 100% |
| Devices (current usage) | Heavy vehicles (e.g., with flails, rollers, and excavators), advanced technology (including multi-sensor detectors, vehicle-borne and handheld) | Primarily metal detectors, handheld prodders, simple tools |
[i] Source: Adapted from Furihata and Hirose (2005: 338).
Table 3
Mine Detection Technologies.
| Method | Maturity6 | Cost and Complexity | Benefits | Concerns/Problems |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal detector | In use | Low | Much experience | High false alarm rate (debris); minimum-metal mines hard to detect |
| Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) | Available commercially | Medium | Gives size and shape info; increases clutter-rejection rate | Poor resolution (fuzzy images); extra weight; danger of mischaracterizing a mine |
| Dual sensor (metal detector + GPR) | Available commercially | Medium | Gives useful info before excavation | See above |
| Infrared (passive or active) | Medium term | Medium | Lightweight; useful for initial survey, especially used at night | Poor resolution and ground penetration; effect dissipates quickly over time |
| Millimeter wave | Long term | Medium | Subterranean imagery | Interpretation difficulties; water anomalies |
| Acoustic/seismic (including ultrasound) | Medium term | High | Ultrasound penetrates very wet heavy ground, 3D imagery | Slow, high false-alarm rate |
| Magnetometer | Near term | High | Deep detection | Only detects ferrous materials |
| UAV platform | Near to long term | Medium-high | Potentially accurate source of information before excavation; speed | Remains unproven and experimental |
| Trace explosive (vapour) detection | ||||
| Trained dogs | In use | Medium-high | Proven accurate and dependable | Significant training needed; only justifiable in a long-term programme |
| Other animals | Medium term | High | Potentially accurate | Unproven as yet; difficult to train; undependable; difficult to interpret |
| Chemical sensors (including biosensors) | Medium term | High | Widely used in industry for other applications | High false alarm rate; slow analysis; remote analysis increases error and time |
| Bulk explosive detection7 (using nuclear sources) | ||||
| X-ray backscatter and X-ray fluorescence | Medium term | High | 2D images | Shallow soil penetration |
| Thermal neutron activation | Near term | High | Better for anti-tank mines | Limited depth penetration; large device; loss or theft of radioactive sources |
| Nuclear quadrupole resonance | Long term | High | Clutter does not cause false alarm | TNT not as well detected as RDX; interference from radio waves; bulky |
[i] Source: Review of the literature and based on similar tables (Bruschini and Gros 1997; Ghaffari et al. 2004; Sato 2006; senseFly 2018).