UAV-Based Electromagnetic Detection of Buried Structures

The detection of undocumented buried metallic structures is a relevant challenge in environmental monitoring and subsurface characterization, particularly in industrial and post-industrial areas. Recent advances in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and lightweight electromagnetic (EM) sensors have enabled non-invasive and efficient alternatives to conventional ground-based surveys. This study presents a validated UAV-based electromagnetic sensing system and a reproducible data acquisition and processing workflow for the detection of shallow buried metallic structures. A multirotor UAV equipped with an EM induction sensor was deployed over a controlled 40 × 40 m test site, acquiring apparent electrical conductivity data along a regular flight grid at low altitude. Platform-induced noise, altitude variations, and background conductivity effects were corrected through a dedicated processing chain, enabling the generation of high-resolution two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) conductivity anomaly models. The results reveal a coherent linear conductivity anomaly with values ranging from 9 to 15 mS/m above background levels, consistent with the presence of a shallow buried metallic pipeline at an estimated depth of approximately 1.5 m. Quantitative analysis and spatial modeling demonstrate the capability of the proposed UAV-based sensing approach to reliably detect small-scale subsurface infrastructure with minimal surface disturbance and high spatial resolution. The proposed system and workflow provide a robust sensing solution for subsurface detection, with direct applicability to environmental auditing, site characterization, and risk assessment. The methodology is scalable and compatible with complementary sensing techniques, supporting its integration into multi-sensor environmental monitoring frameworks.