Real-time compensation of magnetic data acquired by a rotary-wing unmanned aircraft system

无人机系统（UAS）在矿产勘探地磁测量中具有很大的潜力，因为它们可以比传统的有人飞机飞得更接近地面，速度更慢。然而，为了使无人机成为商业市场上可行的替代品，安装在无人机上的磁力计获得的数据必须具有与安装在传统有人驾驶飞机上的磁力计记录的数据相同或更高的质量。无人机上的金属部件和发动机运动在磁力计记录的数据上产生了不希望的噪声，这可能会掩盖来自地下矿体的信号。RMS仪器开发了AARC 51补偿器，这是一种旨在衰减这种干扰噪声的仪器。在这个研究项目中，补偿器将安装到一个无人驾驶飞机型无人机。首先，将进行不同的飞行机动以校准补偿器。演习将包括在不同高度沿地磁场的四个方向（东北-西南）沿着飞行，并在相反方向（例如北到南，南到北）重复飞行。其次，将在一个存在有趣地质特征的地区进行地磁测量。将对测量数据进行详细的分析，以比较原始地磁数据和补偿后的地磁数据，并评估补偿器的性能。该项目还将分析UAS飞行数据，如高度、速度和方向，以确定驾驶UAS获取最高质量磁测数据的最佳方法。该项目将在HQP职业生涯的早期阶段为他/她提供关于UAS测量规划和定量数据分析的实践培训。这些技能的需求量很大，由于对无人机在航空测量界的高度兴趣。

Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) have much potential for geomagnetic surveys for mineral explorationbecause they can fly closer to the ground and slower than conventional manned aircraft. In order for UASs tobecome a viable alternative on the commercial market, however, the data acquired by magnetometers mountedon UASs must be of equivalent or higher quality than the data recorded by magnetometers mounted onconventional manned aircraft.Metallic components and engine movement on a UAS create undesirable noise on the data recorded by themagnetometer that can obscure the signal originating from ore bodies in the subsurface. RMS Instruments havedeveloped the AARC51 compensator, an instrument designed to attenuate this interference noise. In thisresearch project, the compensator will be mounted unto an unmanned helicopter-type UAS. Firstly, differentflying maneuvers will be flown to calibrate the compensator. The maneuvers will include flying along the fourdirections of the geomagnetic fields (north-east-south-west) at different altitudes, and repeating lines inopposite directions (e.g. north to south, and south to north). Secondly, a geomagnetic survey will be executedin an area where interesting geological features are present. The survey data will be analyzed in detail tocompare the raw and compensated geomagnetic data, and assess the performance of the compensator. UASflight data such as altitude, speed, and orientation will also be analyzed to identify the best way to fly the UASto acquire magnetic data of the highest quality.The project will provide a HQP at an early stage of his/her career hands-on training on UAS survey planningand quantitative data analysis. These skills are much in demand due to the high level of interest about UASs inthe airborne surveying community.