Ukraine Trains Deminers to Use Drones and Magnetometers
Ukraine is training military deminers to use drones and magnetometers to detect hidden explosive hazards. The systems can identify concealed metal objects from the air by sensing changes in the Earth’s magnetic field, reducing the need for personnel to enter dangerous areas.
The training took place at the Ukrainian Training and Testing Complex, which develops advanced technologies for mine action, civil protection and environmental safety. Service members trained across the full cycle of unmanned aerial system operations, including deployment, sensor operation, technical maintenance, mission planning, flight monitoring and hands-on piloting of different drone platforms.
A central part of the course focused on specialized magnetometers. Mounted with unmanned systems, the sensors scan ground surfaces for concealed explosive ordnance and give mine clearance teams another way to survey hazardous terrain before sending personnel into the field.
The Ministry of Defence is prioritizing UAV operator training and sensor systems as Ukraine works to clear liberated areas contaminated by explosive remnants of war. Since Feb. 24, 2022, its mine clearance units have surveyed and cleared 460,189 hectares of liberated territory, underscoring how advanced detection tools could speed land clearance while lowering risks to deminers.