Time to stem lightweight approaches and focus on real minefield data?

SUMMARY: Over the past 20 years thermal/long-wave infrared (IR or LWIR) imaging, also known as thermography, has progressed insufficiently from research to field deployment in the humanitarian mine action (HMA) sector. While preparing for air-borne IR thermography fieldwork as part of the Odyssey2025 Project between Humanity & Inclusion and Mobility Robotics in Chad, a comprehensive literature study conducted by the authors to determine what was state-of-the-art knowledge indicated this trend. Background knowledge for this article is based on lessons learned during airborne thermal/LWIR imaging work from small drones in desert minefields during October 2019. Experience gained in locating temperature anomalies allowed authors to identify the position of thirty-year-old legacy buried anti-personnel and anti-tank landmines at in-situ minefields using airborne IR thermography.