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

无人驾驶飞机系统（UASs）在地磁调查矿产勘探方面有很大的潜力，因为它们可以比传统的有人驾驶飞机飞得更接近地面，速度更慢。然而，为了使无人驾驶飞机成为商业市场上可行的替代方案，安装在无人驾驶飞机上的磁力计获得的数据必须与安装在非传统有人驾驶飞机上的磁力计记录的数据相当或更高质量。UAS上的金属部件和发动机运动会对磁力计记录的数据产生不必要的噪声，从而掩盖地下矿体发出的信号。RMS Instruments已经开发了AARC51补偿器，一种旨在衰减这种干扰噪声的仪器。在本研究项目中，补偿器将安装在无人直升机型无人机上。首先，通过不同的飞行动作对补偿器进行标定。演习将包括在不同高度沿地磁场的四个方向（东北-西南）飞行，并在相反的方向上重复线条（例如从北到南，从南到北）。其次，将在存在有趣地质特征的地区进行地磁调查。将对测量数据进行详细分析，比较原始地磁数据和补偿地磁数据，并评估补偿器的性能。无人机飞行数据，如高度、速度和方向也将被分析，以确定最佳方式飞行无人机获取最高质量的磁数据。该项目将为HQP在其职业生涯的早期阶段提供有关UAS调查计划和定量数据分析的实践培训。由于航空测量界对无人机的高度兴趣，这些技能需求量很大。

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.