b'CommentaryData trendsPrecision surveying also means close to Data trendsthe ground flying, which can require a pre survey LiDAR flight so that the drone can avoid bushes and rocks. Users are Tim Keepingalso warned that interference between Associate Editor for geophysical datamanagementdrone and a Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) andanalysis positioning base station can cause survey E technical-standards@aseg.org.au data to be dis-located by several metres.A curious graph included in the document for explorers contemplating carryingillustrates how UXOs lose magnetic out a drone survey. The contributorsresolution by an order of magnitude are a whos who of experts, all of whomfor about every 5 m of additional drone who prefer to use plain language whenheight. I assume that data from empirical explaining the differences and difficultiestesting was used to construct this graph facing geophysicists using drones ratherwhich implies that the weight of objects than more conventional methods ofcan be inferred from magnetic anomalies.geophysical surveying. It is implied that drone surveys will Reading Guidelines forOne point of interest from my perspectiveeventually replace other ground survey DroneGeophysics is that the drone sensors used by thetechniques, but it is important to note Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) industryin this regard that specific drone survey The ASEG Federal Executive recentlyhave frequencies from 1020Hz upparameters are yet to evolve. endorsed Guidelines for Drone Geophysicsto 10 000Hz because the industry isI highly recommend Guidelines for https://www.guidelinesfordronetrying to locate unexploded ordnancesDrone Geophysics as easy to read, and geophysics.com/), a comprehensivesmaller than 10cm in diameter. Hencea document that any geophysicist guide not just to the use of geophysicaltales of drone surveys accumulatingcontemplating a drone survey should technology on drones, but to dronehuge volumes of data in a single day.have on hand. One section lists the operation, regulation, and just dronesThis problem can be compounded by aquestions that explorers should ask of ingeneral.low GPS resolution, which can mean thatcontractors offering drone surveysa Guidelines for Drone Geophysics is athousands of measurements have thesection that should be equally interesting good read with many points of interestsame date, time and location stamp. to contractors in this game!HENDERSON RE-BYTE: An improved earthquake precursor.In a recent Henderson Byte (Preview: 226,35) the use of GPScorrecting some of the errors to make it more accurate. positioning to measure the displacement of faults as aSouthPAN is a joint initiative of the Australian and New precursor to earthquakes was discussed. However, it wasZealand Governments and was first activated in September found that the present accuracy of GPS was not sufficient to2022. It is planned to have the accuracy as stated above by be a precursor for an individual earthquake. 2028, and available on a smart phone. Geoscience Australia At the present time GPS signals in Australia, without specialis the lead agency. See more at: https://www.ga.gov.au/correction, are only accurate to within 35 m. However, ascientific-topics/positioning-navigation/positioning-system being developed in Australia is planned to have GPSaustralia/about-the-program/southpan. positioning accuracy of 3 - 5 cm, a 100 times improvement.It is hoped that this improved accuracy will lead to better This system is known as SouthPAN, for Southern Positioningprecursors of individual earthquakes.Augmentation Network. In this case, augmentation comesRoger Hendersonfrom the use of a number of ground stations to process all the signals received from the satellite systems andE rogerhenderson574@gmail.com Venue and dates locked in forASEGs inaugural DISCOVER conference!1518 October 2024Wrest Point Hotel, Hobart36 PREVIEWJUNE 2024'