Brimstone UXO Survey being carried out

The main purpose of a UXO survey is to detect anomalies beneath the ground that could be items of unexploded ordnance. These site-based surveys come in two key forms, intrusive and non-intrusive, and use state-of-the-art equipment to clear sites before any groundworks begin.

The survey results are analysed by our highly-trained in-house geophysics team, who check for the data characteristics against signatures of unexploded ordnance.

Non-Intrusive UXO Surveys

Non-intrusive UXO surveys are an effective way of clearing large spaces, penetrating up to six metres below the surface. We check for potential hazards by passing multi-channel gradiometers over a broad area and sending the results back to our resident geophysicists.

Larger areas benefit from our towed-away method, which employs an all-terrain vehicle to tow an eight-channel gradiometer over the site, whilst a pushcart system carrying a five-channel device is appropriate for a smaller scale UXO survey. These instruments use sensors to consistently produce high-resolution results, although some landscapes are so difficult to access that they’re not a viable option. That’s when we turn to drone technology to clear the area!

Drone UXO Surveys

Aerial methods are a form of non-intrusive UXO survey which deploy state-of-the-art drones to identify potential UXBs. Our modified off-the-shelf platform is equipped to detect anomalies despite wind, rain or heat. With this technology we can cover hundreds of hectares, probing up to four metres below the surface. Sensors, detectors and effectors all do their part as it sweeps over difficult landscapes.

Our UAVs boast a wide array of applications, including magnetometry, photogrammetry and LiDAR, an innovation working off radar principles but using laser light technology to measure distances. It also has the ability to detect sources of gamma radiation, the locations of which are then sent to the operational base station for comparison with changing isotopes in the local area.

Our sophisticated drone regularly captures superior survey coverage, checking over five times as many hectares as our ground technologies, easing the time, budget and safety constraints that often plague site surveys.

Intrusive UXO Surveys

Human interference can make a location completely unsuitable for non-intrusive surveying, meaning an Intrusive UXO Survey is required. This method can clear old landfills, reworked soil, disused or derelict land – anything that constitutes made ground or a brownfield site. They can also exceed the depth limitations hindering non-intrusive methods, penetrating up to 25 metres below the surface in comparison to the pushcart’s six-metre coverage. 

We perform thorough reconnaissance by pushing a probe into the ground using hydraulic pressure, which then surveys and models targets in three dimensions, enabling it to cover a larger area and return comprehensive data to our geophysics team. 

Should our UXO survey reveal anomalies consistent with the characteristics of unexploded ordnance, our Operations Team will reach out to you to discuss and plan the next steps in the UXO risk mitigation process. 

Brimstone UXO Survey using a CPT Rig

Book a UXO Survey

Booking a UXO survey at Brimstone is easy. Simply email our Commercial Team at enquire@brimstoneuxo.com or call us on 020 7117 2492 and we’ll get you booked in!

Keep up to date with Brimstone by following us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.