Skyfront, a producer of high-endurance hybrid drones, has launched its next-generation drone magnetometer, the Skyfront MagniPhy. Designed for surveying, mineral prospecting, locating orphaned wellheads, and detecting landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), the MagniPhy aims to enhance data quality, efficiency, and safety in these applications.
The Skyfront MagniPhy features a new enclosure and universal attachment mechanism compatible with third-party magnetometer sensors and various drones, including DJI, ArduPilot, and PX4-based models. Developed in collaboration with Geometrics, maker of the MagArrow II UAS-enabled magnetometer, the MagniPhy is available for existing MagArrow users and other drone magnetometer operators through retrofit services or as a new kit for seamless integration.
Enhanced Capabilities and Design
The MagniPhy offers improved data quality and enhanced ability to detect subterranean objects, thanks to its rigid attachment, which maintains constant magnetometer heading during flight and minimizes magnetic noise. Its aerodynamic design reduces motion-induced noise and enhances performance in high winds. Additionally, the device is highly portable, folding from 16.4 feet to 1.4 feet to fit in carry-on luggage, and features swappable batteries providing up to 8 hours of operation.
Skyfront’s high-endurance hybrid gas-electric multicopter drones, with proven flight times exceeding 5 hours, complement the MagniPhy’s capabilities, enabling extensive magnetic surveys. These drones are deployed globally for various applications, including finding abandoned oil and gas wellheads in the U.S. and detecting landmines and UXO in Ukraine.
Market Impact and Industry Collaboration
The MagniPhy offers a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional helicopter surveys and short-duration battery-powered drones. By reducing field time from weeks to days, Skyfront’s solution enhances magnetic surveying capabilities significantly.
Dr. Mark Prouty, President of Geometrics, highlighted the collaboration’s market potential, stating, “Geometrics has been empowering geoscientists everywhere to explore and quantify the world since 1969, and we are excited by the market opportunity unlocked through our collaboration with Skyfront.”
Jeff Cozart, Founder and CEO of Juniper Unmanned, praised the new technology, saying, “Juniper Unmanned helps enterprises unleash the power of remote sensing and analytics, and we are excited to use Skyfront’s next-generation drone magnetometer and our geophysical interpretation techniques to produce accurate maps of buried infrastructure.”
Troy Mestler, CEO of Skyfront, emphasized the strategic advancements, stating, “We are excited to advance the $30B+ defense and geophysical services markets with Skyfront MagniPhy, our next-generation drone magnetometer, which has been integrated into Skyfront’s Perimeter line of drones, the highest endurance hybrid multicopter drones in the world.”
Skyfront MagniPhy is now available for a range of applications, including conducting magnetic surveys, resource exploration, identifying orphan wells, and detecting landmines and UXO.
