Guide to recording and reporting drone geophysical data

MRT’s Reporting Guidelines specify that airborne geophysical data are submitted according to the ASEG-GDF2 standards developed and maintained by the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Recently the ASEG also endorsed the Guidelines for Drone Geophysics, developed by an international committee of practitioners including ASEG members. The guidelines are available for download following registration (free) on the website. The current version deals with magnetic surveying, with other techniques to follow in due course. MRT commends this publication to explorers as a guide to best practice in recording and reporting quality data from drone surveys.

As MRT considers drone surveys to be airborne geophysical surveys, they must be reported according to the ASEG standards, the same as on-board-piloted fixed-wing and helicopter platforms. This includes the requirement under section 165 of the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 that all aerial geophysical surveys must be approved, prior to commencement, by the  Director of Mines.