Indian Student Develops Landmine-Clearing Drone

Fourteen-year-old Indian student develops a drone designed to clear mines.

A landmine clearing drone may sound incredible. However, a fourteen-year-old from India has designed a machine that does just that – an anti-landmine drone that can detect and clear landmines.

Harshwardhan Zala found inspiration for his creation while watching news footage.

“I learned that a large number of soldiers succumb to injuries sustained due to landmine blasts while defusing them manually,” Zala said in an interview with the Times of India.

The news report got Zala’s mind spinning. In response, Zala designed and constructed a drone to dispose of landmines in a safer manner with less risk to human life.

The first few vehicles were funded by Zala’s parents.

“I started making drones on my own and set up an interface with a base station but realized I need to do more,” said Zala. “So I fixed payloads that detect landmines.”

Those small beginnings quickly changed when he won an innovation prize at the L.D. College of Engineering in Gujarat. Soon after, Zala found himself at Google headquarters where he was invited to share his invention with investors.

And most recently, the government of India at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, granted the designer a contract to produce these drones for use in war zones.

The danger of landmines

According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines website, antipersonnel landmines are explosive devices placed under or on the ground. They are designed to detonate by the presence, proximity or contact of a person.

These devices can lie dormant for years and even decades until a person or animal triggers the mechanism – inflicting catastrophic injuries and even death.

Landmines are indiscriminate; whoever triggers the mine, whether a child, a soldier, or an aid-worker becomes its victim. Mines placed during a conflict against enemy forces can still kill or injure civilians decades later.

Removing landmines is extremely hazardous which is why Zala’s drone has garnered such interest.

Payloads for a landmine clearing drone

Payloads for this drone include an infrared, RGB sensor and a thermal meter, and a 21-megapixel camera with a mechanical shutter. The camera can take high-resolution pictures, as well. The drone also comes equipped with a 50-gram explosive that is used to safely destroy the mine without risking life.

Zala has registered his drone for a patent and started his own company, Aerobotics. His intention is to produce more sUAS in the future.