Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping Review

For mineral exploration, an increasing number of geophysical instruments have adopted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as their carrier platforms. The effective fusion of multi-modal geophysical information will be conducive to further enhancing the reliability of exploration results. However, the in...

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Main Authors: Xin Wu, Guo-Qiang Xue, Yan-Bo Wang, Song Cui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-08-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/15/2689
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author Xin Wu
Guo-Qiang Xue
Yan-Bo Wang
Song Cui
author_facet Xin Wu
Guo-Qiang Xue
Yan-Bo Wang
Song Cui
author_sort Xin Wu
collection DOAJ
description For mineral exploration, an increasing number of geophysical instruments have adopted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as their carrier platforms. The effective fusion of multi-modal geophysical information will be conducive to further enhancing the reliability of exploration results. However, the integration degree of UAVs and geophysical equipment is still low, and the advantages of UAVs as robots have not been fully exploited. In addition, the existing fusion methods are still difficult to use to establish the spatial distribution model of ore-bearing rock. Therefore, we reviewed the development status of UAVs and the geophysical instruments. We believe that only by integrating the system, designing the observation plan in accordance with the requirements of the fusion method, and treating the hardware part as an external extension of the algorithm, can high-matching data be provided for fusion. Subsequently, we analyzed the progress of the fusion methods, leading us to believe that the cross-dimensional and cross-abstract-level issues are major challenges in the algorithm aspect. Meanwhile, the fusion should be carried out simultaneously with the generation of the ore-bearing rock model, that is, to establish an integrated system of fusion and generation. It is hoped that this research can promote the development of UAV-borne multi-modal observation technology.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2072-4292
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spelling doaj-art-6612046254354cd8bb08adbec0c5e2a22025-08-20T03:36:32ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-08-011715268910.3390/rs17152689Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping ReviewXin Wu0Guo-Qiang Xue1Yan-Bo Wang2Song Cui3State Key Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaFor mineral exploration, an increasing number of geophysical instruments have adopted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as their carrier platforms. The effective fusion of multi-modal geophysical information will be conducive to further enhancing the reliability of exploration results. However, the integration degree of UAVs and geophysical equipment is still low, and the advantages of UAVs as robots have not been fully exploited. In addition, the existing fusion methods are still difficult to use to establish the spatial distribution model of ore-bearing rock. Therefore, we reviewed the development status of UAVs and the geophysical instruments. We believe that only by integrating the system, designing the observation plan in accordance with the requirements of the fusion method, and treating the hardware part as an external extension of the algorithm, can high-matching data be provided for fusion. Subsequently, we analyzed the progress of the fusion methods, leading us to believe that the cross-dimensional and cross-abstract-level issues are major challenges in the algorithm aspect. Meanwhile, the fusion should be carried out simultaneously with the generation of the ore-bearing rock model, that is, to establish an integrated system of fusion and generation. It is hoped that this research can promote the development of UAV-borne multi-modal observation technology.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/15/2689geophysical explorationmulti-modalinformation fusionUAV
spellingShingle Xin Wu
Guo-Qiang Xue
Yan-Bo Wang
Song Cui
Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping Review
Remote Sensing
geophysical exploration
multi-modal
information fusion
UAV
title Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping Review
title_full Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping Review
title_fullStr Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping Review
title_full_unstemmed Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping Review
title_short Current Progress in and Future Visions of Key Technologies of UAV-Borne Multi-Modal Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Exploration: A Scoping Review
title_sort current progress in and future visions of key technologies of uav borne multi modal geophysical exploration for mineral exploration a scoping review
topic geophysical exploration
multi-modal
information fusion
UAV
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/15/2689
work_keys_str_mv AT xinwu currentprogressinandfuturevisionsofkeytechnologiesofuavbornemultimodalgeophysicalexplorationformineralexplorationascopingreview
AT guoqiangxue currentprogressinandfuturevisionsofkeytechnologiesofuavbornemultimodalgeophysicalexplorationformineralexplorationascopingreview
AT yanbowang currentprogressinandfuturevisionsofkeytechnologiesofuavbornemultimodalgeophysicalexplorationformineralexplorationascopingreview
AT songcui currentprogressinandfuturevisionsofkeytechnologiesofuavbornemultimodalgeophysicalexplorationformineralexplorationascopingreview