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Ahmad Muhammad

ROSOR's Specialized RPAS Technology for Geophysical Surveys; Comparison and Downstream Impact

We go through the features of ROSOR's specialized technology by comparing it to both traditional aircraft and standard RPAS with actual results comparison and highlighting ROSOR's downstream impact.

ROSOR Specialized drone (RPAS) technology comparison and downstream impact.
ROSOR Specialized drone (RPAS) technology comparison and downstream impact.

In previous posts, we discussed the challenges and drawbacks of present-day mineral exploration's airborne geophysical surveys by traditional aircraft, and we introduced, what we consider, the future of mineral exploration by highlighting the main features of ROSOR specialized RPAS technology.

Today we will present a comparison between ROSOR technology and all other available airborne geophysical surveys options based on actual performance results


 

ROSOR performance in the field Vs. Traditional Aircraft

For our latest case study, we compare a small, approximately 200-kilometer total magnetic intensity survey flown by our RPAS and another survey by a traditional airplane. Our RPAS paths in this operation towed a Geometrics MagArrow, which utilizes a thousand-hertz sampling rate, and the aircraft was flown at approximately a hundred kilometers per hour.

ROSOR drone performing magnetic survey with Geometrics MagArrow
Fig.(1) ROSOR RPAS with Geometrics MagArrow

Here's a sample of the resulting magnetic map produced by the traditional airplane, a NAVAJO PA-31.

Magnetic Survey Data Acquired with Traditional Aircraft (NAVAJO PA-31)
Fig. (2) Data Acquired with Traditional Aircraft (NAVAJO PA-31)

And right away here you can see in our same survey flown by our specialized system with that single mag, the flight produced a higher total magnetic intensity resolution.

Magnetic Survey Data Acquired by ROSOR specialized drone (RPAS)
Fig.(3) Data Acquired by ROSOR specialized drone (RPAS)

The approximate 200 kilometers were flown at approximately two hours of flight time. It had a 15-meter line spacing, again, a thousand-hertz sampling frequency, low first and fourth difference meeting industry standards, and low noise. It was fully electric and emission-free. And finally, of course, remotely piloted. Now having the towed sensor provided a much more favorable signal-to-noise ratio outputting high-quality raw data without the need for heavy noise compensation techniques. A thousand-hertz frequency provided much more coverage than the typical 10 hertz in a traditional mag, and also gave post-processing much more flexibility. And finally, the speed at which the survey was completed shows our crew's ability to comfortably complete 500 to 800 inline kilometers on any given day.


ROSOR specialized technology Vs. standard drone (RPAS)


Given such coverage capabilities, our specialized RPAs are not to be confused with typical small multirotor RPAs that are commonly seen in geophysical space. For these small surveys that cover less than a few hundred kilometers, or typically less than a thousand, at most, our survey crews are able to cover much larger areas with specialized RPAs that can fly over a hundred kilometers per flight and quickly get back up in the air with swappable battery packs.

Comparing ROSOR specialized RPAS to standard drone systems
Fig.(4) Comparing ROSOR specialized RPAS to standard drone systems

That with the added bonus of faster speed makes for much greater coverage. This provides our crews with the ability to take on mineral exploration surveys, typically, again, between 1000 to 10,000 inline kilometers. In comparing ROSOR RPAS with other fixed-wing RPAS in aero-magnetic space, these models tend to produce highly filtered data results due to the low signal-to-noise ratio during that acquisition. These electric aircraft fixed wings typically seen on the market produce their own electromagnetic field, which introduces noise into the magnetic readings measured with flux state systems that need to be compensated for during post-processing, our specialized systems with external sensors to our aircraft allow for separation between sensors and noise producing motors. This separation escapes the noise and produces raw data output that remains less altered to give clients true readings into their survey areas.


Total comparison; ROSOR technology vs. Traditional aircraft & Standard RPAS.


Now broadening our scope and comparing all airborne data acquisition options, we focus on five main metrics, cost per inline kilometer, coverage, data resolution, navigation, and payload.

Fig.(5) Comparing ROSOR technology to traditional aircrafts and standard drones (RPAS)
Fig.(5) Comparing ROSOR technology to traditional aircrafts and standard drones (RPAS)

In reviewing helicopters, they excel in payload capacity and range with fairly good data resolution, along with quite good navigation, but it's very expensive, in fact, one of the most expensive options.

Airplanes, it's much less expensive per inline kilometer, but that data resolution rat suffers.

In typical multirotor RPAs, the resolution and navigation abilities are the highest, but the high cost makes it prohibitively expensive on a scale.

The ROSOR RPAS excels in each category by lowering the cost for inline kilometer maxing cover, maximizing coverage, navigation, and data resolution, while maintaining payload capacity suitable for necessary onboard sensors. Therefore, the ROSOR RPAS offers not only the high-resolution benefits of drone systems (RPAS), but also the scalability of traditional aircraft.


ROSOR specialized RPAS Downstream Impact


Now deploying specialized systems also introduces great benefits downstream promoting pilot safety, a cleaner environment, and fewer additional costs down the road.

ROSOR specialized RPAS Downstream Impact
Fig.(6) ROSOR specialized RPAS Downstream Impact

Safety

We have, of course, remote navigation operating conditions that are much safer. As RPAs remove the pilot from the aircraft, thereby removing the most dangerous type of flying low altitude flight for the environment.

Environment

The specialized system has a net zero emission during acquisition, creating a greener alternative for mining companies and reducing their scope-three emissions.

Cost

Lastly, but probably most importantly, these high-resolution scans are capable of reducing costs by eliminating unnecessary secondary ground-level scans due to the optimized performance during flight. In addition, the need for secondary surveys, post-processing, and analysis from expensive geophysicists is reduced, which in turn decreases the amount of investigation time overall.


So, whether you're mining companies looking for a better alternative in conducting mineral exploration, airborne surveyors and geoscience firms interested in onboarding cost efficient platforms to reduce operational costs, sensor manufacturers searching for the right platform to integrate your technology or even outside the mining industry.

Ready to start planning your next drone project? Book your consultation now, and be part of the future.

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