US 9,958,566 B2Granted

Airborne geophysical survey system

AssigneeIsaac Max Porterfield

InventorAlan Vowles

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Abstract

An airborne ElectroMagnetic (EM) survey system wherein the system includes; first, a series of transmitter coils, which induce a primary (EM) field into the earth resulting in a secondary EM field being created in any sub-surface electrically conductive bodies; and second, a set of three orthogonal receiver coils which detect the secondary EM field. Multiple transmitter coils through which an electric current is pumped, form part of the structural, aluminum framework of a multi-rotor drone. The receiver sensor may be an EM induction sensor, comprised of multi-turn, copper windings, mounted inside an aerodynamic bird and separated by non-conductive sphalerite, which acts as an electrical insulator to limit self-induction and capacitance. Additionally a lighter-than-air balloon may be used to add vertical lift and increase a pendulum effect.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An airborne geophysical survey system comprising:

an aircraft comprising:
a frame including at least one annular element of conductive material which provides structural support to the frame;
a plurality of lifting assemblies supported at spaced apart positions across the frame, the lifting assemblies each comprising a rotor arranged to provide lift when rotated and a motor arranged to drive rotation of the respective rotor;
a flight controller arranged to control the lifting assemblies independent of one another so as to provide unmanned flight to the aircraft;
a transmitting source comprising said at least one annular element of the frame connected to a power source such that said at least one annular element also functions as a transmitting coil arranged to generate a primary electromagnetic field;
and
a receiver system supported on the frame of the aircraft and including a receiver sensor arranged to sense a ground response to the primary magnetic field generated by the transmitting source in a geophysical survey.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.