| 02 Sep 2026
Development of a UAV-based fully-airborne transient electromagnetic system
Abstract. In order to meet the challenges of transient electromagnetic exploration in complex terrain, a lightweight, low-noise, three-component, fully-airborne transient electromagnetic system is designed based on an unmanned aerial vehicle platform. By receiving the three-component electromagnetic field, reliable detection of the normal component even in undulating terrain is enabled, while also offering a theoretical basis for correcting errors arising from receiver coil oscillation. Through a system-level optimization design, the system balances weight and transmission power, resulting in a lightweight (14.94 kg), large transmitting magnetic moment (2250 Am²), and extremely low system noise (1.7 nT/s) configuration. A series of performance verification experiments and field tests verify the stability and practical operability of the proposed system in field applications. Comparisons between the inversion results of the collected detection data and borehole logging data further confirm the reliability of the system. Therefore, this system can provide an effective technical approach and solid data support for the fine detection of subsurface interfaces within a depth of 50 meters.
Focusing on the demand for high-efficiency exploration in complex terrains, this paper breaks through the limitations of the semi-airborne "ground-transmitted and air-received" mode and achieves fully-airborne TEM detection with an "air-transmitted and air-received" architecture. The lightweight design of the system is adaptable to small and medium-payload UAVs, lowering deployment barriers and operational costs, and is suitable for rapid reconnaissance in inaccessible areas such as mountainous regions and landslide-prone areas.
In terms of system design, the system accommodates both deep and shallow detection requirements while reducing average power consumption, effectively resolving the trade-off between UAV payload limits and detection performance. The developed three-component low-noise sensor expands data dimensionality compared with analogous single-component systems, providing a data foundation for attitude correction and fine-scale interpretation of geological bodies. Furthermore, a three-component correction model constructed with IMU attitude data effectively mitigates the impact of flight attitude fluctuations on measurement results.
For system validation, multi-level verifications are carried out sequentially from module-level performance testing to system-level field trials. The conclusions are well supported by experimental data, demonstrating clear engineering application value.
Problems and Revision Suggestions