Autonomous mine detection system (AMDS) incorporating SFCW GPR and CWMD sensors for discrimination

摘要

Landmines have been laid in conflicts around the world and continue to maim or kill civilians and soldiers. Metal detectors (MD) have been used successfully to detect mines, but have difficulty detecting mines with little or no metal content. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) systems have successfully been used to supply detection capabilities where metal detectors fail. Handheld devices using such sensors have historically been used in battle but they can put the user at high risk under direct fire from the enemy while exposed during some operations. We describe a robotic, explosive hazard, anti-personnel/anti-tank mine detection system featuring dual-sensor GPR/MD capability for enhanced mine detection and for removing the soldier from the mine field. The MD is a broadband electromagnetic induction sensor to help discriminate between buried landmines and metal clutter. The sensor operates in the frequency domain and collects data at 21 logarithmically spaced frequencies from 300 Hz to 90 kHz. The GPR is a broadband stepped frequency continuous wave (SFCW) sensor operating from 700 MHz to 4 GHz in 10 MHz steps. The GPR employs an array of low cross section inverted V-dipoles swept over the scene. The GPR data will also support 3D synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery to aid in user target verification.