24 October 2024
Artificial intelligence of MinesEye was tested jointly with the State Emergency Service near Balaklia
The works took place in the period October 22-23, 2024, near the town of Balaklia, Izyum district, Kharkiv region. The survey was carried out at priority areas for demining near the gas station. To perform the tasks, a new version of the MinesEye system was used, which simultaneously collects and analyzes data using visual and magnetic methods.
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The purpose of these works was to determine the effectiveness of a multi-sensor system to support the process of non-technical survey (NTS), which is carried out by specialists of the State Emergency Service. Thanks to the combination of sensors and the use of artificial intelligence, it is possible to find more dangerous objects and thus prioritize demining operations. As a part of experimental NTS works, several areas near the gas station, which was damaged by artillery fire, were checked.
Around the gas station, 27 anomalies were found, the signals of which are similar to known explosive objects and mines. With the help of a visual method using artificial intelligence, several suspicious objects were also found, which will be examined by sappers as a following step.
Also, additional tasks were performed:● Examination of soils after hostilities for chemical contamination by specialists of the Institute of Geophysics and the Institute of Geology of KNU. T. Shevchenko, with whom the Postup Foundation cooperates within the framework of the NATO Science for Partnership and Security● Testing the system as a quality control tool after mechanized demining. The purpose of these works was to compare the contamination of land with metals after demining using rotary machines and other methods, as well as to determine the presence of deep-lying objects.
3 October 2024
The new MinesEye system with artificial intelligence was demonstrated at the Security 2.0 conference in Kyiv
During the Security 2.0 conference, Postup Foundation presented a new version of the MinesEye system, which was created as part of the NATO SPS project. The updated system has a number of advantages over the previous version:
- the weight of the system is only 15 kg, which allows it to be transported even in a passenger car- New microcomputer-enhanced data logger includes artificial intelligence for visual mine recognition- Data is transmitted immediately to the ground station, including magnetic anomalies and AI-based detection results
We plan to test this sample in the near future and slightly improve the mechanical components. Next - tests in real conditions with demining operators.
25 September 2024
Postup took part in a conference dedicated to demining in London
Postup attended an interesting event in London, where military and civilian organizations discuss approaches to demining and the application of innovative technologies.
Our founder Vlad Kozak had the opportunity to talk with Paul Heslop about the initiative of the Government of Ukraine to create a commercial demining market.
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Although the commercialization concept is not yet proven, the Government has made significant progress in just one year:
- about 50 demining operators entered the market
- the first tenders were held
- there is good progress in prioritizing land
However, some issues still need to be addressed:
- ongoing war restricts implementation activities
- farmers are not yet ready to invest money in land demining
- it is necessary to create international funding mechanisms to limit the possibility of "inefficient use of funds".
The Postup Foundation is optimistic about the opportunity to speed up this process. We will support any initiatives Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, which are within our competence!
19 September 2024
Postup team demonstrated the MinesEye system in Latvia on a drone up to 25 kg
Fundacja Postup took part in the demonstration of sensor solutions at the training ground of SPH Engineering - one of the leaders in integrating sensor solutions on drones. The demonstration took place in Latvia.
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As part of the joint tests, we demonstrated the MinesEye system, which was recently produced in Poland as part of the NATO SPS scientific work. Our new system was built on the basis of the Agras T10 drone, which makes it lighter than 25 kg and allows for seamless use in Europe. In addition to our magnetic solution, SPH Engineering solutions integrated on the DJI Matrice drone were also presented, as well as traditional on-foot magnetic measurements.
Traditionally, it is believed that on-foot surveying allows to obtain better quality data with a lower level of magnetic noise, while aeromagnetic surveying helps to perform work much faster - up to 20 hectares per day with one drone - instead of 1 hectare by a group of geophysicists.
The MinesEye system of the Postup Foundation makes it possible to achieve both results at the same time. Thanks to the use of large agricultural drones for carrying magnetic sensors, it is possible to increase the distance from the drone to the magnetometer and thereby improve the sensitivity of the system. Also, we can conduct a magnetic survey at the level of vegetation or at a height of 0.5 m above the ground without the risk of losing the drone due to snagging on obstacles.
We continue to work on the development and validation of MinesEye for mine detection purposes!
22 August 2024
The first application of a multi-sensor system with AI in conditions close to real environment
The experimental works took place on the territory of the geophysical laboratory near Kyiv on an agricultural field. For experiments, the team used neutralized ammunition and training mines with a significant metal content, as well as plastic mock-ups of mines made with the help of 3D printing.
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The experiment allowed us to confirm that the combination of sensors has a significant potential for finding mines. Thus, the overall object detection rate reached 95% (18 out of 19 objects were detected by at least one of the methods). The magnetic method made it possible to detect 55% of objects, and the visual method - 75%. A solution for image processing with the help of artificial intelligence was also tested, which made it possible to detect 30% of objects in automatic mode. Further work on the collection of reference data will allow to increase these indicators later.
23 July 2024
Postup started experiments using artificial intelligence to recognize landmines
At the initial stage, we identified 3 types of mines for which we began to collect data. In parallel, a number of object recognition models were selected for further training and tests. At the moment, we have collected several hundred photos with existing real objects from previous experiments, and also started collecting data on synthetic objects.
The use of AI to analyze material collected from contaminated areas is becoming a trend in the field of demining. It is also important for us. For example, after one day of inspection of agricultural fields, we receive more than 20,000 photos, which cannot be processed manually quickly and without missing dangerous objects.
We hope for quick training results, which we will inform you about later.
15 July 2024
We conducted the first field experiment with the new MinesEye system on the territory of Poland
The experiment took place on a military training ground near the city of Bystszyca Klodzka. Our team flew over an improvised minefield on the territory of the training ground. At the request of a local farmer, a magnetic survey was also carried out on the irrigated area for hidden underground infrastructure. Among other things, traces of a pre-war ceramic sewer pipe were found.
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The territory of Lower Silesia used to belong to Germany, which laid various underground communications, in particular for the irrigation of agricultural land. After the Second World War, information on a large part of the communications was lost. With the intensification of the use of territories for agriculture and construction, the problem of surveying underground infrastructure is more relevant than ever. Thanks to the ultra-high sensitivity of the magnetic survey, MinesEye system is an ideal tool for mapping underground infrastructure and finding unexploded ordnance from the Second World War.
14 June 2024
Postup Foundation took part in the Forum on the Reconstruction of Ukraine
This is the largest donor event devoted to the reconstruction of Ukraine. This year it was held in Berlin and was devoted to various areas of post-war reconstruction. In addition to international donors and developers of technological solutions, the event was attended by numerous representatives of territorial communities that suffered as a result of Russia's full-scale aggression.
Among other things, we held negotiations with international mine action operators who were present at the event. It is worth noting the interest of territorial communities in solutions for demining, which are able to return the territories to use faster.
2 May 2024
The report on the MinesEye project was positively evaluated at the International geophysical summit
The search for mines and explosive remnants of war is a global problem today. Scientists from the field of applied geophysics and developers met within the framework Geophysical Summit on UXO detection to discuss innovative approaches to the search, classification and identification of dangerous objects.
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Scientific works and developments covered various methods, including magnetic, electromagnetic, georadar or optical. Attention was also drawn to innovative methods of sensor data processing, including using machine learning algorithms.
The Postup Foundation talked about the MinesEye R&D project, that has a goal to determine the detection of landmines in real conditions using various sensors separately and in combination. Another task is the classification of objects or even their deterministic recognition. We will remind that the MinesEye system at this stage combines a magnetic method for searching for hidden UXO, as well as a visual method reinforced by artificial intelligence - for finding and recognizing UXO on the surface.
26 Apr 2024
MinesEye drone for UXO detection was demonstrated at the Security conference
The Security of the population in war conditions - cooperation of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and communities conference became an excellent platform for communication with participants in the demining market - mine action operators and developers. The Postup Foundation team had the opportunity to demonstrate the development of MinesEye live - thanks to the support of the NATO Science for Partnership and Security program.
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In addition, it was possible to get acquainted with some demining operators and developers of solutions for mechanized demining. We clearly see that an effective inspection system is necessary for operators, especially in the case of using a mechanized demining method.
As part of the Postup's panel, we raised the following questions:● Finding ways to increase the productivity and accelerate the pace of demining● Automation of demining processes and reduction of cost per hectare to an economically feasible level● Changing the standards of survey and demining by involving drones for object mapping and quality control
19 Apr 2024
Postup took part in the Innovations panel at the International Donor Conference on Demining
A workshop on the coordination of donors in the field of mine action 2024 was held in Kyiv with the participation of representatives of more than 30 countries. The organizer was the Geneva Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD).
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As part of the meeting, a panel on innovations was held with the participation of Vlad Kozak, the founder of the Postup Foundation.
The main theses of the discussion:● Projects to create innovative solutions in humanitarian demining are long-term and capital-intensive, therefore systemic support from donors is necessary● Only innovations will be able to speed up and make the demining process cheaper, since traditional approaches require a significant involvement of human resources - this is inefficient and dangerous● The use of drones in the demining process is a hot topic for most operators. However, drones are used only for non-technical inspection, which does not allow enfold their full potential● Currently, there are no effective targeted tools to support innovation in demining. At the same time, donors are not ready to invest money in startups, because the evaluation of such decisions requires considerable expertise. Such expertise should be created in Ukraine
We thank the organizers for the opportunity to convey our point of view, and the armed forces of Ukraine for ensuring the security of the event.
18 Apr 2024
The NATO Science for Partnership and Security (SPS) program changes the focus of scientific projects towards the topic of demining
Great news from NATO's Science for Partnership and Security (SPS) programme. The program changes the focus of scientific projects, more and more areas of demining research can receive support. You can find out more about the possibilities at the link.We are proud to be a member of this program and promote innovations in humanitarian demining in international organizations.
The works are in progress!
2 Apr 2024
For the first time in Ukraine, quality control of demining was carried out using the magnetic method
We are often asked how the MinesEye system of Postup Foundation works in practice and how it can be used in the process of humanitarian demining. We'd like to share some updates about our work in the Mykolaiv region over the past two days:
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Together with our colleagues from Charitable Foundation "Demining of Ukraine" the team chose a field that had previously been partially demined and flew over 7 hectares. There was a strong wind, so only 7 of the planned 11 hectares were removed
In the evening of the same day, the data were processed using our own methodology and 27 anomalies were identified in the surveyed area with exact coordinates. The entire processing took 1.5-2 hours
Next morning, our team, together with the sappers, armed themselves with a mine detector, probe and shovel and in an hour excavated 4 objects, as in the photo. Three of the 4 objects were underground - rolled into the ground by agricultural equipment.
The system already works and is capable of helping to clear mined areas from IEDs. The method of working with the map and, in fact, decontamination of dangerous objects is the subject of further joint work with mine countermeasures operators. The direction is clear.
28 Mar 2024
The first phase of MinesEye tests with the Ministry of Economy and UNDP is ongoing
Tests of the MinesEye system continue, and more and more attention is drawn to them by state authorities and international organizations.At this stage, we feel a significant responsibility for the implementation of an innovative method to accelerate the demining of Ukraine and will make appropriate efforts to make it happen as soon as possible!Official post of UNDP
20 Feb 2024
This project is supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security programme
This phrase should be used in a communication about the MinesEye project of the Postup Foundation from now on. And we will do it with pride!
Because NATO support is not only about the budget for the purchase of equipment for experiments. First of all, this is:
- Recognition of the results of almost 2 years of our team’s hard work
- An opportunity to cooperate with leading scientific institutions in different countries
- A signal that NATO does not intend to stand aside from the problem of humanitarian demining in Ukraine and will in every way support the development of technologies and the expansion of Ukraine's capabilities in this direction
26 Jan 2024
We are working on improving the MinesEye system in cooperation with the Interregional Center for Humanitarian Demining
In the new season, we decided to refresh our cooperation with Interregional Center for Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response (ICHDRR) of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and give impetus to our joint research work. We have a solution that can significantly automate the process of searching for mines, the Center has specialists, a test site and the necessary equipment.
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As part of our visit to the Center, we had discussion on directions for the possible application of the MinesEye system at various stages of demining, a plan of experiments to finalize and evaluate the system's operation, and an exchange of experience between our specialists. In particular, during three days of work, we managed to:
- Demonstrate the operation of the MinesEye system in testing range conditions
- Perform experiments to determine the accuracy of the coordinates collected by our system
- Communicate in detail with the experts of the sapper units regarding the available IEDs and traps found on mined fields
- Integrate the magnetometer available at the ICHDRR to our MinesEye system and perform test measurements.
Also, we handed the Center high-quality inverter generators for charging portable devices by sapper groups in the field. We are sure that this is only the beginning and we will be able to share more details about our achievements soon.
7 Dec 2023
Postup conducted a trial of the mine detection system for UNDP
In winter, the work in the fields freezes... But not for the MinesEye mine detection system:
Vegetation is less dense, drones are available, and people are on the ground. Therefore, for the Postup team, the off-season in agriculture is a unique opportunity to hone the system.
The results of the latest test for our foreign partners indicate another stage of system development. The purpose of this experiment was to understand whether we are able to detect mines laid by the State Emergency Service without prior information about where the mines were laid. The result is 100% identification of mines on the surface using orthophoto. It was not difficult, considering that the mines were laid on the surface of the snow cover. What is more impressive - all mines detected using orthophoto were also detected using magnetic surveying. Even PMN-1, which contains a minimum of ferrometals!
The system works, so our goal is to overcome the mark of 300 hectares of surveyed fields before the start of the next field work season. This will allow you to get involved in the work of clearing land for sowing. That's why we continue to work!
23 Oct 2023
Aeromagnetic system MinesEye has been tested to detect underground archeological structures
Our team is working together with archaeologists in one of the central regions of Ukraine to map one of the archaeological sites. What we did in a day is usually done during a month on foot. Such data allow archaeologists to understand the structures of historical settlements and to understand in which places it is worth prioritizing further research. Therefore, the use of aerial magnetic survey without exaggeration will allow a better understanding of history.
For Postup Foundation, such work is an opportunity to test the system in real conditions while waiting for the formation of the demining market in Ukraine. When mine action operators are ready to use magnetic reconnaissance in their work, the team will already have much more practical experience in using the system in large open areas. The data you see in the pictures shows that the system works. The background from the devices is minimal, it's also possible to detect landmines using this method. Mine action operators are invited to involve the foundation in landmine and UXO search using the MinesEye system.
2 Oct 2023
Postup takes part in experimental demining of 50 hectares of agricultural land in Kharkiv region
Postup Foundation participates in the experimental demining of 50 hectares of agricultural land in the Kharkiv region. This is a joint test project of two charitable foundations: the Demining of Ukraine and Postup Foundation. The process is carried out on the basis of an innovative approach, which includes a visual and thermal imaging survey, as well as a magnetic survey based on a UAV. Also, in this process, the developments of the CF Demining of Ukraine for mechanical demining will be applied.
"This is the first work of our system within the full cycle of clearing UXO-contaminated territory...
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It is important for us to understand the real effectiveness of magnetic surveying to speed up the process of clearing fields from mines and explosive objects, - Vlad Kozak, founder of the Postup Foundation. - During the last 6 months, we have been working on improving our system in order to obtain high-quality aeromagnetic survey data. These data should help sappers to identify landmines buried under the ground or under the cover of vegetation and increase the safety of clearing fields. We are very grateful to our partners, in particular Agrosem, for providing equipment for the tests."
"After working in the southern regions of Ukraine, we encountered difficult working conditions in the Kharkiv region. A significant number of landmines are underground, - Yan Artyukhov, head of the technical demining group of the CF Demining of Ukraine, - the combination of efforts will significantly speed up the process and demining Ukraine in a shorter time."
20 Sep 2023
Postup took part in technologies roadshow organized by Ministry of Economy of Ukraine
The government intends to return 80% of potentially landmine-polluted territories of Ukraine to exploitation within 10 years. Yuliya Svyridenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, announced this during a working meeting in Zhytomyr Oblast. It’s planned to involve private mine action operators in demining, which will contribute to speeding up the process of clearing thousands of kilometers of land.
As part of this event, blind testing was conducted to identify hidden UXO. Our team demonstrated the operation of the MinesEye system and quickly identified more than 6 suspicious objects. One of these objects was later neutralized by representatives of the State Emergency Service. The well-known philanthropist from the USA Howard Buffett, whose foundation also takes care of the problem of humanitarian demining, also joined the event.
22 Aug 2023
Upgraded MinesEye system in action for the first time
We decided to return to the original concept - magnetic surveys with the help of proven agro drones for UXO detection. The Postup team conducted testing in the Lviv region. The flights were carried out with the new MinesEye system, which our team has been working on improving since March of this year. Thanks to the team at Crop Land, who have great experience with agro drones, we managed to achieve very good results the first time:- Performed flights in mission mode on an agricultural field - in a few hours of work, we managed to scan about 2 hectares- Despite the variable topography of the location - it was possible to achieve a stable flight height of less than 1m for the magnetometer- The magnetic background from the system is less than 2nT, which allows you to see such small objects as a spring or a nail at a short distance
Special thanks to Tech StartUp School for helping with auxiliary equipment and Aviagro for matchmaking!
12 Jul 2023
Our team visited Ukraine for scientific workgroup meeting
Postup Foundation team visited Ukraine for a working meeting at the invitation of the Lviv Polytechnic National University. Polish and Ukrainian organizations working on the topic of demining in Ukraine were represented at the meeting.
The topic is on the agenda and numerous scientific and commercial organizations are trying to find ways to speed up the demining process. Currently, there is no consensus on which technologies and methods will help to achieve the highest efficiency, but there is a consensus that the integration of various sensors is necessary. Also, most experts agree that UAVs are necessary to speed up the demining process.
This visit led to the beginning of a series of negotiations, the results of which we hope to announce in the near future.
17 May 2023
Postup took part in Security 2.0 conference in Kyiv
Postup Foundation took part in the exhibition/forum Security 2.0. This is our first public event to promote new technologies that can make demining operations faster and safer.
This event allowed us to meet other scientists working on magnetometry in Ukraine, meet demining operators and discuss potential partnerships with them. We also had conversations with agricultural companies to better understand their situation and needs.
The topic is relevant because Ukraine is the country most polluted by landmines. Many innovations are coming to solve this problem with new speed and quality!
22 Apr 2023
Financial report of the Foundation for 2022
Adhering to the highest level of transparency, we would like to share with you the results of the POSTUP Foundation for 2022. Last year was the year of establishing of the Foundation - we gradually transferred our volunteer and research activities to the organization, so only part of the expenses are reported here - a large part in 2022 was still in our private balance sheets. In 2023, we are actively working on transforming the Foundation into an autonomous organization and are working to make it a free float. Therefore, the cashflow will be more significant this year.
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Main income for 2022:- Founder's loan in the amount of 50,000 zlotys for one year on market terms to accelerate the activities of the Foundation- Income from IT services in the amount 23,692 zlotys, which were performed by our employees to finance the Foundation activities- Donations amounting to 11,791 zlotys - thank you for trusting us at this difficult stage of formation!
Main expenses for 2022:- In the second half of 2022, we decided to accumulate our volunteer work into one very important project - an ambulance with respective equipment for the Kyiv Military Hospital. In total, the cost of this project was 47,000 zlotys, including the purchase, repair and transportation of an ambulance- Personnel costs in total amounted to approx. 20,000 zlotys, including taxes, social security contributions and training. Not much, considering that most of the work was done on enthusiasm, and we invested mostly in the work of engineers, the results of which you can easily see- Other services, including equipment rental, accounting and insurance, amounted to 5,000 zlotys
You can read the full report by this link. The work is in progress!
P.S.: Donations can be sent here 🙂P.P.S.: If you work in Poland and have not yet calculated the annual PIT, you can transfer 1.5% tax to us by specifying: KRS: 0000270261, cel detail: FUNDACJA POSTUP 13516
23 Mar 2023
Field tests with State Emergency Service were conducted in specialised training facility
Representatives of the POSTUP Foundation - together with State Emergency Service of Ukraine - tested a new technology for non-contact identification of mines and explosive objects using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
POSTUP representatives demonstrated how the mine identification system works in the conditions of the test site, and how the received information is transferred to a computer and processed. On the other hand, specialists of the State Emergency Service showed the specifics of the work of cartographic systems and provided advice on the exact binding of the received magnetic maps to geo-coordinates.
As a result of the research, it was proved that the magnetometer can be used as an aid to the identification of PFM-1 "Butterfly" mines, which pose a significant problem due to their number and unsystematic nature of installation.
21 Mar 2023
POSTUP conducted landmine identification system demonstration
The demonstration has been provided in the Kyiv region on one of the farming facilities. Besides the media, we hosted representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Armed Forces of Ukraine. Together with SESU, we created an improvised minefield using most popular landmine and explosives replica, such as TM-62, OZM-72, MON-50, PMN-2 as well as F1 and RGN hand-grenades. The conditions were favourable as we made measurements on clear cultivated field, which helped improve objects identification.
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During the demonstration we operated manual flight as well as mission flight be drone. Within half an hour we scanned about 0.3 hectares of the land and identified all larger objects on the ground. It has been empirically proven that we can also identify plastic antipersonnel landmines on clear fields. Additionally, we created an improvised stand for landmine magnetic profiles collections. This approach will help us to identify what kind of signals we can expect from different explosive objects.
21 Feb 2023
POSTUP will work with Lviv Polytechnic University on demining process automation
Our team consists of highly motivated and skilled specialists who know how to deal with any issue that you may come across. This creates a basis for lasting relationships with our clients built on trust and mutual understanding. We are devoted to creating unique and innovative solutions along with high-quality supporting services.
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You should choose the plan which meets your needs and requirements and send us a message to place the order. You can also make it online.POSTUP is working on the technology of contactless magnetic field scanning using drones (unmanned aerial vehicles, UAV). “By combining ready-made solutions for the drone and magnetometer and adding own R&D to improve quality of measurements, the Foundation would like to speed up the process of non-technical survey and technical survey of de occupied territories, - Vlad Kozak, Founder and Managing Director of POSTUP Foundation: “One drone is capable of scanning 10-15 hectares per day, so it would be possible to scan all UXO-polluted lands in 3-5 years by using 200-300 vehicles as opposed to 100 thousand personnel to do the same work manually”. Given the fact that there are close to 1000 civilians and servicemen wounded and/or killed by landmines since the beginning of full scale invasion, there is a desperate need of technology that would isolate more people from exposure to mines.
Lviv Polytechnic National University is working on a land-based armored platform that could perform different military and related operations. One of the promising use cases for the platform is demining operations. The platform is quite light (90-150 kg net), is put in motion by electric vehicles, and has good capabilities for operation in terrain. That could make it fit different operations performed in humanitarian demining, such as deactivating landmines and traps triggered by a tripwire, examining, extracting, deactivating and/or transporting identified landmines as well as performing some operations of mechanical demining. “Cooperation with POSTUP Foundation will help us to increase recognition of the project and attract attention from other enthusiasts from abroad who would like to contribute to this important mission”, - says Roman Zinko, professor from LPNU. - “We have been working on development of these platforms since 2014, and would be ready to scale the production using the occasion of cooperation with POSTUP Foundation and SESU”.
Combination of these two approaches might make the automation of demining operations closer. Magnetometer would be capable of detecting all landmines with sufficient explosive impact to destroy armored vehicles. If properly indicated, these objects could be selectively extracted or deactivated and – what’s left – could be demined in a mechanical way by smaller electric vehicles with low power consumption. This would diminish the risk for personnel involved in demining operations.
In order to speed up further R&D, POSTUP and LPNU will jointly look for institutional financing. Involving of the foreign institutions will also be a priority. POSTUP is already in discussions with few Universities in Poland to contribute to the research and help Ukraine recover it’s agricultural lands and rebuild the infrastructure.
03 Feb 2023
POSTUP started a joint demining R&D with State Agency of Emergencies
The memorandum agreement was signed with Interregional Center of Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response (ICHDRR) that acts as centre of competence for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU). We would like to jointly work on further development of the magnetic technology for unexploaded ordnance (UXO) identification using method from POSTUP Foundation to diminish the background noise from the drone.
Before signing the memorandum, POSTUP team was invited to test the approach in a real environment - on the minefields near Balakliia in Kharkiv region. The territory was recently de occupied and there are many already identified minefields left behind by russian army. We were asked to make a measurement for one of the identified mixed antitank and anti personnel minefields that was full of different explosive ordnance. In course of 2 days we scanned around 2 hectares and prepared magnetic maps with recommendations to the sapper units.
“We believe that cooperation with practitioners would help to significantly speed up our R&D” - says Vlad Kozak, Founder and Managing Director of POSTUP Foundnation. “Knowledge of the urgent needs of pyrotechnicians operating on the ground would help us to reach out to the research community and better define what kind of problem the scientists need to solve. After 6 months of testing we can see that magnetic surveys look very promising and can be a basis for further automation of the demining process”.
In case you’re interested in this technology or would like to support our R&D don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
30 Nov 2022
Our magnetometer identifies TM-62 anti tank mines buried half a metre deep
The soil is now very mild from the November rains, so it’s time to do tests with digging landmines under the ground. This time we were asked by the specialists from the State Emergency Services of Ukraine (SESU) to verify, whether magnetometer will see the anti tank mines TM-62, if there were buried deeper in the ground.
The test has been conducted in the following way: firstly, we cleared the field from random objects, then we laid out 2 different constellations of landmines with some of them buried deeper. Basides TM-62, there were few antipersonnel mines, such as MON-50 and PMN-2. Each mine was placed at least 5-6 m from each other in order to avoid overlap of the magnetic fields. After the test the exercise was repeated on a clean field in order to ensure there weren’t other objects undermining the results.
The outcome looked promising: we consistently identified all TM-62 landmines and MON-50 mine. Even if buried 50-60 cm below the surface, the mine emits a significant magnetic field, same goes with TM-62 in plastic cover. Unfortunately, we confirmed again that plastic antipersonnel mine PMN-2 isn’t visible by magnetometer at all and will be left behind after the survey is completed.
Based on these results we will aim to have more tests, most likely in close to real environment to further explore capabilities and limitations of the system. We believe that by using magnetic surveys in combination with other survey and clearance methods we will be able to significantly speed up the demining process.
12 Sep 2022
Proprietary extender of POSTUP helps to see more landmines
Since the beginning of our project we were curious whether it’s possible to minimize the background noise and see more ferrometal objects in the ground. In order to test it we asked our partners to bring two different drones for the test: ● A small drone with appr. weight 5 kg and up to 3 kg payload, very similar by the specs to DJI Matrice 300 which we used to attached the magnetometer to its feet● A large drone DJI Agras T16 with approximately 19 kg weight and up to 16 kg payload, where we used our proprietary extender to improve measurements quality We conducted the test on the previously cleared field of Syngenta R&D next to Bila Tserkva and tried to reproduce the same flight path and conditions for both vehicles. The various metal objects were placed on the ground: hand saw, metal discs from a grinder and cover from a pot.
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Results were quite impressive. While the small drone created a large noise that made some objects not visible, the extender-based solution was sufficient to identify all objects very clearly. After processing the data and removing the background noise, all placed metal objects could be found on the magnetic map with precise coordinates. This learnings will be used by the foundation in the demining project.
08 Aug 2022
The first series of tests on landmine replica has been conducted
POSTUP Foundation completed the first series of magnetic surveys using real deactivated explosive and landmine replica. During the test, most mass produced landmines were examined: ● TM-62 highly explosive anti tank mine● MON-50 and OZM-72 fragment anti-personnel mines with large impact and deadly shrapnel● PMN-2 and PFM-1 “lepestok” or “butterfly” - small explosive antipersonnel mines that are difficult to detect by metal detectors● F1 and RGN handgrenades● Tank missile
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We tested the objects on a polygon field that has been previously cleared from metal scrap. Here are first observations from those tests:
1. Missiles and rockets are visible very well by the magnetometer as they are made of heavy iron parts to maximize their impact
2. Landmines with deadly shrapnel are also visible very clearly as the shrapnel is made of ferrous metals. Even if dug into the ground close to the surface they are easily identified by the magnetometer
3. Plastic anti personnel mines seem to be too small to be clearly visible on the magnetic maps, while the handgrenades could be visible in case the background noise from the drone is diminished
We believe these results are promising and will discuss with pyrotechnicians on how to make best use of such surveys.
27 Jul 2022
POSTUP Foundation designed an extender to improve magnetic surveys quality
Magnetic surveys with a copter could help to identify landmines much faster than manual approach. However, one of the main problems of drone-based surveys are in the UAV itself as the drone emits a significant magnetic field by its metal and electronic elements.
Since we’re willing to use magnetometer along with agricultural drones and scan agricultural fields, we decided to find a solution on how to make magnetic surveys possible. Agro drones are large and create lots of noise while the solution commonly applied in magnetic surveys of this kind is attaching the magnetometer to the feet of the drone. After some research we figured out that the available solutions wouldn’t fit our needs. They are either not stable (like arrow on a rope or pendulum) or not sufficient to reduce the magnetic background noise.
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Our first prototype is mostly made of aluminium that doesn’t create a lot of noise. It extends downwards for a few meter and allows drone to fly at the safe distance from the surface while keeping minimal distance from magnetometer to measured objects. We are going to test the new system soon.
02 Jun 2022
We started the first tests with magnetometer in the demining project
Tonnes of UXO of a different kinds, lots of ammo or metal scrap, and even the turret of russian armored vehicle - this stuff can be found only 3 km from Hostomel 3 months after forcing out russians from this territory. While the city is returning to life, the surrounding agricultural fields have strict entrance protocols.
We are coming to this field along with drone operators and pyrotechnicians from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Although usually reserved, the police officials decided to allow us to test the new technology of drone-based (UAV) scanning of the territory with increased risk of Unexploded ordnance (or UXO) on it. The deal is clear - if we can prove the technology works and it can see the landmines, this would save a huge chunk of time and make the sappers more relaxed.
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The field with a territory of about a hectare was examined for the whole day by a group of 10 people. Half of it was covered by the drone in about an hour. The question is how reliable this measurement could be? Well, the first test has shown that we have a large room for improvement both in terms of quality of flight as well as in data processing. This test showed us that we can see large ammo, like tank missiles or rockets. However, to say if we can identify landmines, we need to conduct further tests.
Landmines are usually made to reduce the number of magnetic metals in them and make them less visible to metal detectors. Sometimes the only metal elements are fuses and perhaps some springs. However, it’s mostly not explosives that kill people but rather fragments that could be visible by the magnetometer. We believe this method would enable quick surveys without significant risk to the personnel and would at least recognize the most dangerous objects on the ground or in it.
25 Apr 2022
The following results of our body armor tests
We are happy to present you with the results of our tests. This time we wanted to dot the i's and cross the t's, mainly to understand if our anti-fragment coating works and how to improve it. Also, based on the feedback of some experts, we decided to test the plate for wall impact/obstructive injury with the help of potter's clay. We managed to prepare several variants of Miilux plates with different coatings and find a class 4 ceramic plate (costing as much as our entire armored car), which many aesthetes like to equip our guys with.
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You will find the results and video evidence of the shootings on the page https://postup.com.pl/en/body-armor. This will help manufacturers of armored cars and those responsible for procurement to make better decisions.
The conclusions we made for ourselves:
- The granular rubber coating solution was good despite the limited time to adopt it
- The quality of the glue determines the quality of the coating: 95% of debris passes between the plate and the rubber
- The ceramic plate is disposable: it only protects the first time and then kills. In essence, armor made of such material is diamonds for turning knives...
- The edges will always be a weak point, including steel armored vehicles: an obstacle injury is possible even with steel due to the concentrated point of impact of the plate, and the risk of fragments also increases
The following results of our body armor tests
22 Apr 2022
Postup Foundation is officially registered
Since the beginning of Russia's large-scale aggression, we have realized that we cannot stand aside from what is happening in the country where we were born, grew up, and with which most of our lives are connected. As soon as the first shock subsided, we started actively volunteering, taking advantage of the proximity of Poland to Ukraine and the opportunity to fix logistics very quickly.
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Later, we met a significant need for bulletproof vests and found an opportunity to supply large batches from a proven manufacturer in Poland. To ensure scale quickly and without sponsors, deviating a little from purely volunteer principles and acting commercially in the armor part was necessary. This allowed us to deliver around 700 kits to end users in just 3 weeks, from the end of March to the beginning of April.
We've slowed down over the past month to catch our breath because we've been waiting for our charity fund to be registered. Happy to announce that our POSTUP Foundation is finally written. With new forces, we will help meet the needs of Ukrainian defenders first and use our capabilities to help on the economic front. More details later.
Below is some information about the goals of the foundation's charter:
- Organization of support for Ukraine's fight against Russian armed aggression at the Polish and international level
- Work on a plan and operational support for the post-war recovery of Ukraine, its transformation, and accession to the EU
- Organization and provision of humanitarian and charitable aid to the residents of Ukraine, with particular attention to victims of Russian armed aggression
We will do our best to provide the greatest POSTUP in these areas.