Even though the war between Russia and Ukraine hasn't been covered in the news as before, it is unfortunately still raging on. Ukraine has found itself at a disadvantage when it comes to the prohibited landmines that have been planted all over the country, but they've found a way to spot them early on using drones.
Draganfly Drones Detecting Landmines
In the United Nations war guidelines, military forces from both countries are not allowed to use antipersonnel landmines, yet this did not stop Russia from planting them on Ukraine's grounds. Around 11 out of 27 Ukrainian regions have already been affected by it.
Searching and spotting them could be dangerous when done in person, but demining teams have found a way to utilize Draganfly drones to scout areas without going to the location themselves, effectively circumventing the trap laid out for them.
The aerial drones are used to detect disturbed foliage, unusual metals, and other irregularities on the ground using a combination of thermal, hyperspectral, and magnetometer sensors, as reported by Gizmodo, all of which are seen through an RGB camera.
Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell said during a Zoom meeting that they will be training up to a thousand new pilots every year and this will likely increase moving forward. As of right now, "the best drone pilots" are already in Ukraine to train people to navigate the aircraft.
The operation has become more crucial than ever as Ukraine is now "by far the most mined country in the world," which "wasn't the case two years ago." an organization that clears landmines, HALO Trust, said that there have been over 2,300 incidents since the war began.
The drones will not only assist but also help with deciding which mined areas need to be prioritized. The explosives will not only impact the military force of Ukraine but the civilians who are still in the country.
Even with the assistance, Ukraine is still going to take around 40 years to deactivate and remove all the mines in the country. Although a staggering 40% of the mines do not explode, the country will still have to go through unexploded ordinance.
The Humanitarian Use of the Drones
The drones are not only used for detecting potentially deadly mines in the warzone. In fact, it was first used for operations like search and rescue, as well as the delivery of medical supplies to wounded soldiers and even civilians.
Last year, Draganfly fulfilled an additional shipment of 30 reconnaissance drones to Ukraine. The previous drones were already able to deliver temperature-sensitive medical supplies, which replaces ambulances and prevents medical personnel from heading into dangerous situations.
According to Fierce Electronics, drone response can be faster by several minutes and can be less expensive than grounded vehicles. Chell stated that even if the war has ended, drones may still be needed for defense surveillance, communications, reconstruction, and mapping surveys.
He added that as an example, there are 900 bridges in Ukraine that have to be rebuilt, which is yet another reason why grounded vehicles may not be able to reach certain locations when delivering necessary supplies.
