GEON E61 Takes Center Stage at Mine Action Summit 

The GEON E61 drone/metal-detecting system generated a lot of buzz at the recent International Symposium on Mine Action — not due to the whirring of its propellors, but because of its unique capabilities as a tool for pinpointing the locations of landmines and unexploded ordnance. 

The symposium, held for the 21st time, took place in April 1-3 in Cavtat, Croatia. HCR-CTRO, the only company in Croatia authorized to certify demining machines, organized the meeting in collaboration with the Civil Protection Directorate of Croatia. The conference attracted 200 participants from 32 countries.  

Speakers including Davor Božinović, Croatia’s deputy prime minister and minister of the interior, celebrated an imminent historic achievement — Croatia is on track to be declared mine-free by March 2026. It is now additionally playing a proactive role as a leader in international mine eradication efforts. 

The success story in Croatia stands in stark contrast to grim realities in Ukraine, which is more heavily infected with landmines and UXO than any other nation in the world. 

ArroTech, which has developed the GEON E61, and AtruTek, a humanitarian nonprofit closely aligned with ArroTech, are intensely focused on Ukraine, given the magnitude of the mine/UXO problem there, the dangers it presents to the people of Ukraine and its impacts on the global food supply. 

AltruTek president and founder Dr. Stephen Dunnivant and Tobias Leininger, co-founder and the chief technical officer of ArroTech, made a presentation a the symposium highlighting the GEON E61 system, a groundbreaking solution for UXO mapping that uses pulse induction technology. 

“The GEON E61 drone was the talk of the summit,” Dunnivant said. 

He might have expected so. The GEON E61 is the only fully operational autonomous UXO mapping drone of its kind. Dunnivant emphasized the role that the system can play in accelerating demining efforts. 
 
“Given the scale of the unexploded ordnance problem, it will take a projected 757 years and around $35 billion to clear Ukraine using current technologies,” he said. “Magnetometers and photometric drones, along with traditional demining methods, will play a part in that effort. But autonomous drone systems like ArroTech’s GEON E61 are essential to addressing the vast contamination.” 

Industry-Leading Real-Time Data Formats 

Leininger and Dunnivant found that attendees were eager to learn about the GEON E61’s output capabilities, particularly its ability to deliver real-time UXO mapping data in multiple formats designed for both expert users and non-experts: 

• Industry-Standard Data Formats. High-resolution geospatial data integrates seamlessly with GIS, ensuring compatibility with existing workflows. 

• Map Overlays for Non-Experts. The drone generates intuitive visual overlays, highlighting potential UXO locations with size estimates — making detection results easily interpretable for decision-makers and field personnel. 

• Spreadsheet Reports. A structured database lists detected objects with precise coordinates and metadata, offering comprehensive documentation. 

• Live Data Transmission and processing. A real-time map view enables immediate assessment via the control tablet, allowing operators to monitor UXO detection as scanning is in progresses. 

Unmatched Detection Capabilities & Data Quality 

Leininger and Dunnivant impressed upon conference-goers the ways in which the GEON E61 sets a new standard in UXO detection with its superior capabilities exceeding those of traditional methods such as handheld and push-cart detectors and armored machinery used to detonate mines: 

• Detection of Both Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals. Unlike magnetometers that only detect ferrous materials, the GEON E61 identifies both ferrous and non-ferrous conductive objects, significantly expanding its detection range. 

• Minimal Sensitivity to Interference. The drone’s active detector operates independently of magnetic field distortions, making it far less susceptible to interference from iron-rich soils — a major advantage over conventional systems. 

• High-Speed, High-Resolution Scanning. The system, which covers an acre in two hours, captures data at 16 points per second and combined with highly precise GNSS positioning, ensures centimeter-level precision across large scanning areas. 

• Advanced Terrain Following. By maintaining a constant height above ground, the drone guarantees uniform data quality across varied landscapes, maximizing detection reliability. 

“As global mine action efforts face increasing challenges, technological advancements such as the GEON E61 drone offer promising pathways toward a safer, more efficient future in UXO detection and removal,” Leininger said.  

“With its cutting-edge autonomous technology, real-time multi-format outputs, and superior detection capabilities, the system is poised to redefine the landscape of mine action operations worldwide.”