Comparative Analysis of Airborne Electrical Prospecting Technologies Using Helicopter Platforms and UAVs when Searching for Kimberlite Pipes

A comparative analysis of airborne electromagnetic sounding technologies implemented in various versions is presented when solving problems of searching for kimberlite pipes. Three technologies are considered. In the first technology, the induction source and receiver are towed using a helicopter platform. In the second technology, the source is a grounded electrical line, and the receiver is towed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In the third technology, the receiver is also moved by a UAV, and the source is a large induction loop located on the Earth surface. The analysis is carried out using 3D finite element modeling and a geoelectric model of the tube constructed from airborne electromagnetic survey data. It is shown that when searching for kimberlite pipes, which are local vertical bodies with a small plan size, the technology using a helicopter platform has the greatest resolution. Various modifications of UAV-TEM technologies, at a minimum, require an increase in the level of the measured signal. In this case, a technology using a large induction loop as a source seems to be more preferable, but experimental work is required to assess the level of "parasitic" currents.