Bandung, Indonesia – March 9, 2020 – Terra Drone Indonesia, a group company of Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation, has successfully completed a pilot project with the newest addition to its technology arsenal – a drone equipped with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system.
Working in collaboration with PT Airborne Geophysics Indonesia and the Geophysics Laboratory at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Terra Drone Indonesia flew the GPR-equipped drone at different altitudes and speeds to map tunnels and underground utilities at the ITB campus. The drone data was then processed and compared with the infrastructure records of the university by geophysicists. It was discovered that the GPR drone had accurately and precisely mapped the underground asserts.
The combination of GPR and drones opens up new potential for the use of unmanned technologies in areas that are traditionally both challenging and unsafe. For example, by scanning areas that have potential hazards, a GPR-equipped drone can be used to model post-blast areas in open-pit mines. In sectors such as construction and utilities, a GPR drone could be used to locate underground pipes, map the conditions of the assets, and detect hazards like pipeline leaks.
“The conventional GPR method requires field personnel to go to the field and carry GPR tools to conduct surveys. But this method has its own dangers because not only are some areas unsafe and difficult to reach but also because severe weather conditions in the field can hamper workers from carrying out their jobs diligently. GPR drones, in contrast, have emerged as a much safer and efficient surveying solution,” says Michael Wishnu Wardana, Managing Director of Terra Drone Indonesia.
It should be noted that Terra Drone Indonesia and ITB have joined forces to test new technological innovations several times in the past as well, including validating Terra LiDAR’s topographic mapping capabilities at ITB’s Jatinangor Campus. The drone service provider remains open to collaborating with parties interested in its new GPR application.
About Terra Drone Corporation
Established in 2016, Terra Drone Corporation has quickly become one of the world’s largest industrial drone solution companies employing over 550 drone industry professionals. The company’s head office is located in Tokyo, Japan, with branches spread globally throughout Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Terra Drone provides innovative enterprise drone services for oil and gas, utilities, renewables, mining, construction, and GIS sectors, among others.
In addition to Unifly, Terra Drone’s other previous investments C-Astral, which develops high-endurance fixed-wing UAVs; RoNik Inspectioneering, which provides wireless inspection services for confined spaces; and Ventus Geospatial, which has patented gas leak detection technology. Going forward, Terra Drone will continue to invest in technology companies with cutting-edge solutions for drones. For all the latest news and information about Terra Drone, visit the company’s LinkedIn and Twitter handles.
