TDEM Transmitter and UAV Receivers for Shallow Cavity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shallow cavities formed during drilling operations in arid environments, such as sinkholes and karsts, pose significant risks due to unconsolidated and weak subsurface conditions, leading to equipment damage, safety incidents, and operational disruptions, which are difficult to detect visually.
Innovation Solution
Combining Time-Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) techniques with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for dynamic data acquisition to identify and mitigate drilling hazards by using a fixed, portable TDEM transmitter and UAV-based receivers to capture electromagnetic radiation reflections from subsurface anomalies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual inspection is used to detect subsurface cavities, then the detection method is simple and quick, but shallow cavities near the earth's surface cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual inspection (mechanical/optical system) with electromagnetic sensing. The TDEM system uses electromagnetic fields to detect subsurface cavities that are invisible to visual inspection, substituting a physical field-based detection method for direct observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic fields as an intermediary between the detector and the subsurface cavities. The TDEM transmitter generates electromagnetic fields that penetrate the ground, and the receiver detects field anomalies caused by cavities, using the electromagnetic field as a mediator to reveal hidden subsurface features.
2Reliability
If TDEM techniques with UAV receivers are used to detect subsurface cavities, then detection accuracy and hazard identification improve, but equipment complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) as a mobile, dynamic platform for the TDEM receiver, replacing fixed or ground-based equipment. The UAV can be dynamically positioned over the drilling site, adapting to various survey configurations and accessing areas that would be difficult or dangerous for ground-based equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The UAV platform serves multiple functions: it carries the TDEM receiver, provides stable aerial positioning, and can be deployed for various survey patterns. This multi-functional platform reduces the need for multiple specialized equipment systems while achieving reliable hazard detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and accurate detection of drilling hazards, reducing risks to personnel and equipment, minimizing operational disruptions, and improving well placement decisions through real-time hazard prediction and proactive safety measures.
Implementation Method 1
time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) transmitters and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) receivers
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method that enables detection and mitigation of drilling hazards is described. The method includes determining time-domain electromagnetic parameters and obtaining data at multiple heights by at least one unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with at least one receiver as a time-domain electromagnetic transmitter emits electromagnetic radiation based on the time-domain electromagnetic parameters. The method also includes fusing the obtained data to generate a subsurface model.