Geophysical survey system

• US 5,266,799 A
• Filed: 09/12/1990
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel), State of Israel Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure The Geological Survey of Israel Jerusalem Israel, The State of Israel Atomic Energy Commission Soreq Nuclear Research/Center
• Original Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel), State of Israel Ministry of Energy & Infastructure, State of Isreal Atomic Energy Commission
• Inventors: Zafrir, Hovav, Dubester, Yair, Steinitz, Gideon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US07/581,212
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 250/253, 250/342, 250/361 R, 250/370.11, 250/390.11, 250/261, 250/370.15, 250/352, 324/323, 324/329, 324/330, 324/331
• US Class Current: 250/253
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/22 Transmitting seismic signals to recording or processing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/34 Transmitting data to recording or processing apparatus; Recording data
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/02 specially adapted for surface logging, e.g. from aircraft

Abstract

A geophysical survey system including a remotely piloted vehicle, a geophysical sensing payload mounted thereon and ground based control and data receiving means.

Claims

1. A geophysical survey system comprising:

a remotely piloted vehicle;

a geophysical sensing payload mounted on the remotely piloted vehicle; and

ground based control and data receiving means which comprises a separate mobile tracking, communication and control unit and a separate mobile geophysical analysis unit physically separate from said mobile tracking, communication and control unit.

2. A geophysical survey system according to claim 1 wherein the mobile geophysical analysis unit also comprises means for real-time analysis of received geophysical data from said geophysical sensing payload.

3. A geophysical survey system according to claim 2 wherein the mobile geophysical analysis unit also comprises means for processing, interpretation and map display of geophysical data derived from said geophysical sensing payload.

4. A geophysical survey system according to claim 1 wherein said geophysical sensing payload includes a radiometric payload which comprises nuclear detection means.

5. A geophysical survey system according to claim 4 wherein said radiometric payload comprises nuclear scintillation means.

6. A geophysical survey system according to claim 5 wherein said radiometric payload also comprises means for cooling said nuclear scintillation means.

7. A geophysical survey system according to claim 6 wherein said means for cooling comprises thermoelectric means and wherein said nuclear scintillation means are located in a thermally isolated housing.

8. A geophysical survey system according to claim 1 wherein said separate units are interconnected by wireless relays.

9. A geophysical survey system according to claim 1 wherein the ground based control and data receiving means also comprises means for data processing and for guiding flight of said remotely piloted vehicle.

10. A geophysical survey system comprising:

a remotely piloted vehicle;

a geophysical sensing payload mounted on the remotely piloted vehicle;

ground based control and data receiving means which comprises a separate mobile tracking, communication and control unit and a separate mobile geophysical analysis unit physically separate from said mobile tracking, communication and control unit; and

wherein the separate geophysical analysis unit includes means for processing, interpretation and map display of geophysical data derived from said geophysical sensing payload.

11. A geophysical survey system according to claim 10 wherein said geophysical sensing payload comprises a bismuth germanium oxide (BGO) type radiometric payload.

12. A geophysical survey system according to claim 10 wherein the mobile geophysical analysis unit also comprises means for real-time analysis of received geophysical data from said geophysical sensing payload.

13. A geophysical survey system according to claim 10 wherein said geophysical sensing payload comprises nuclear detection means.

14. A geophysical survey system according to claim 10 wherein said geophysical sensing payload comprises nuclear scintillation means.

15. A geophysical survey system according to claim 14 wherein said geophysical sensing payload also comprises means for cooling said nuclear scintillation means.

16. A geophysical survey system according to claim 15 wherein said means for cooling comprises thermoelectric means and wherein said nuclear scintillation means are located in a thermally isolated housing.

17. A geophysical survey system according to claim 10 wherein said separate units are interconnected by wireless relays.

18. A geophysical survey system comprising:

a remotely piloted vehicle;

a geophysical sensing payload comprising a radiometric payload mounted on the remotely piloted vehicle and weighing no more than 20 kg; and

ground based control and data receiving means which comprises a separate mobile tracking, communication and control unit and a separate mobile geophysical analysis unit physically separate from said mobile tracking, communication and control unit.