Anomaly Detection: Talking You Through UXO Surveys

The main purpose of a UXO survey is to detect anomalies that could indicate buried UXBs. Site-based surveys gather information on possible ferrous metal objects lurking beneath the surface. The results are then sent back to be analysed by our highly-trained in-house geophysics team, who check for the data characteristics against signatures for unexploded ordnance.

Different sites have varying requirements due to accessibility, previous land use and the depth of soil you wish to clear. We respond to the individual site needs by offering three categories of survey: intrusive, non-intrusive and aerial. 

Non-Intrusive UXO Surveys

Non-intrusive 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!

Aerial Clearance

Aerial methods are a form of non-intrusive UXO survey which deploys state-of-the-art drones to identify potential UXBs. At Brimstone we use the JUNO system, a modified off-the-shelf platform 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. 

JUNO boasts 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 Techniques

Human interference can make a location completely unsuitable for non-intrusive surveying, leaving us to deploy intrusive excavation methods. These 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 an unexploded ordnance, our operations team will discuss and plan the next steps in the UXO risk mitigation process. 

Find Out More

You can explore the next steps of risk mitigation on our website – we offer thorough investigation and disposal services to detect and eliminate any potential hazards. If you are unsure of how we can best help you, you can use our handy online tool to find the right service. 

You can contact us on our website to enquire about our services and keep up to date with Brimstone by following us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.