Ultralight Aircraft Surveying
EDCON-PRJ offers ultra-high-definition aeromagnetic surveys using an ultralight aircraft. The system includes differential GPS positioning and radar altimeter. Acquisition airspeed is 45 to 60 mph. Subject to topographic conditions, surveys may be flown as low as 50 meters (150 feet) with a line spacing of 50 meters (150 feet).
ADVANTAGES
Over ground surveys:
- Cuts acquisition time from weeks to one or more days
- Eliminates surficial magnetic "noise"
- More data. Because of speed and low cost, surveys can be flown with tighter line spacing
- Cost-competitive
Over helicopter surveys:
- Much lower mobilization/demobilization charges
- Much lower operating cost
- More data. Because of low cost, surveys can be flown with tighter line spacing
Over conventional fixed-wing surveys:
- Much lower mobilization/demobilization charges (especially for smaller surveys, conventional mobilization/demobilization costs make conventional surveys impractical)
- Much lower operating cost
- More detailed data, as surveys can be flown closer to the ground than the 500 feet specified by the FAA for conventional fixed-wing aircraft
- More data. Because of low cost, surveys can be flown with tighter line spacing
The basic geophysical system includes the following:
- Magnetometer: Geometrics G-823A cesium vapor
- Nominal sensitivity: 0.01 nT
- Sampling rate: 10 Hz
- Navigation: Differential GPS
- Base magnetometer: Geometrics G-856
- Nominal sensitivity: 0.1 nT
- Sampling rate: 5 seconds
EDCON-PRJ offers helicopter-borne, conventional fixed-wing aeromagnetic surveys, and also helicopter-borne radiometric surveys.