Ukrainian State Emergency Service’s underwater demining units received 16 remotely operated Deep Tracker Revolution drones to search for mines and other explosive devices in water bodies. The equipment was purchased by the UN Development Programme in Ukraine using funds allocated by the governments of the Republic of Korea, France, and New Zealand.
"These drones are the eyes of our sappers underwater. Two sonars and visual inspection cameras provide completely new capabilities for searching and detecting remnants of war in water bodies. I am very glad that this project was implemented, as exactly one year ago the idea to create an innovation platform that would unite various technological solutions in humanitarian demining was born in the Ministry of Economy," said Igor Bezkaraivnyi, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine.
The drones can operate both in freshwater and saltwater. The Deep Tracker is equipped with a high-quality 4K camera and sonars (hydro-locators). Remote control is carried out via a cable, which in the delivered configuration is 300 meters long. The drones are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which last for 3 hours of operation. Considering the availability of a spare battery set and fast charging, sappers can work with the Deep Tracker for a full shift.
"Traditional methods are no longer sufficient – innovations become necessary to save human lives. UNDP actively implements the latest solutions: from the use of mine-detection dogs to piloting artificial intelligence technologies. Today’s event is another step toward implementing high-tech underwater demining in Ukraine," emphasized Maria Hutsman, Head of the Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development unit at UNDP Ukraine.
31 State Emergency Service diver-sappers have successfully completed training in using these drones. Soon, they will start using them across Ukraine to help clear contaminated water bodies.
"Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the State Emergency Service has increased the number of certified diver-sappers from 192 to over 500. Providing modern equipment and organizing training are critically important for the safety and effective work of our specialists," stated Oleksii Mihrin, Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service.
Currently, about 138,000 km² of Ukraine’s territory and 13,500 km² of water bodies remain potentially mined. These include rivers, lakes, flooded quarries, and also Ukraine’s maritime territorial waters affected by the fighting. Their clearance is important for the safety of people living in frontline regions as well as for maritime logistics.
