Barnard Microsystems Limited

- from http://www.magsurvey.co.uk

Magnetic field survey work is a good application for a small Unmanned Aircraft, since:

• a high resolution Cesium magnetometer weighs less than 1 Kg (the Scintrex CS-3Sl weighs 0.82 Kg, for example)
• the survey requires flying close to the ground (" close drape" )
• the flight path is a regular raster scan
• the survey should preferably take place at night when the sun spot activity is at its lowest, and the cultural noise is minimum
• the survey might need to be repeated day after day, or, week after week, to generate the data for a 4D survey

Magsurvey Limited is a UK company now offering an exciting new technology for explorers wishing to conduct high resolution magnetics surveys.

The Prion Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) collects magnetics data at a resolution only previously available from detailed ground or helicopter surveys and without risk to life. It can be used at low altitude and in hostile environments, that would be too dangerous for manned flying.

For mineral surveys over many small grids within a region, or, where poor visibility due to dust, rain, cloud and so on restricts aircraft operation, Prion is ideally suited, as it is not subject to the same flight time constraints.

- from http://www.magsurvey.co.uk

With the advantage of total portability, a field system which typically consists of several aircraft can be mobilised anywhere in the world without the major costs associated with helicopter and fixed wing manned operations. Thus, mine site geologists wishing to detail a small area, or, " grass roots" explorers needing to assess the magnetic responses in a new region, now have an affordable choice.

The Prion is designed to operate in a wide range of terrains and can be launched by catapult within confined spaces, or, for marine surveys. Data is processed in-field, following strict quality control guidelines, with final processing undertaken in the UK.

Prion Unmanned Aircraft

The Prion UA is the result of 7 years of research and development by MagSurvey Ltd, involving collaboration with leading aerospace and geophysical contractors. It is built largely of lightweight and strong composites and is designed to be magnetically " clean," to ensure a minimal effect of manoeuvres on the magnetics data.

Specifications:

Payload:

• Fluxgate Magnetometer
• Cesium Vapour Magnetometer
• Real Time Differential Global Positioning System
• Altimeter
• Video

Contact:

- from http://www.magsurvey.co.uk/priondetails/priondetails.htm