University Students Advancing Drone Technology for Mine Action
CISR
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(University of Twente) Mechanical engineering students Reinis and Benjamin from DroneTeam Twente developed a drone equipped with machine learning to assist in demining operations. They designed a model to detect Russian PFM-1 landmines, commonly found in conflict zones like Ukraine. Their research aimed to create an affordable, efficient, and accessible solution for demining by testing how fast a drone could fly while maintaining detection accuracy.
They used 3D-printed replicas of landmines made with wax instead of TNT for safe testing, taking over 800 thermal images to train their model. The drone successfully identified over 90% of the mines in field tests, helping to prioritize demining actions. While the technology cannot fully replace traditional methods, it offers a valuable tool for narrowing contaminated areas, reducing the risk for on-ground deminers.
