GyroLAG: Versatile Multi-sensor Airborne Geophysics Platform

Abstract

EXIGE (www.exigesa.com) and its partner AirWatch, a joint venture between Wagtail Aviation (www.wagtail.co.za) and Alto Air (www.Alto-Air.com), developed the next generation airborne geophysical platform – GyroLAG (Gyrocopter Light Airborne Geophysics). GyroLAG is a single pilot operated, smart tailored, ultra-high resolution airborne geophysical platform, which combines the merits of dense data sampling, accurate positioning, low clearance above ground or sea level, slow speed, multiple parameter measurements, automatic data quality control and real-time quality assurance, with the benefit of being highly efficient, cost effective, commercially attractive, safe, easy to operate and reliable. The aviation platform, a Kriek type gyrocopter, is a South African designed and built machine with a license for commercial operations. It originated from 6 years of development, which are presented in more detail. The platform will undergo production in the fourth quarter of 2009. The final setup of the remote sensing and geophysical instrumentation on-board is at an early stage of implementation. GyroLAG will accommodate up to 7 distinct remote sensing technologies including a range of digital cameras covering the entire IR to UV spectrum, lightweight magnetic, radiometric and gravity sensors. Instrumentation’s agility and ruggedness have been proven during a sequence of separate survey and test conditions and their preliminary performances are illustrated. The platform’s positioning information is acquired utilising a DGPS and/or real time GPS. A notebook computer is used as digital acquisition system and proprietary software for flight preparation, data acquisition, and automatic flight data quality control against user-set technical specifications are being developed. Commercial launch of GyroLAG in its full capacity is planned for the first quarter of 2010 but it is worth pointing out that the platform in a magnetic, radiometric and/or still camera configuration is already operational.