Testing an UAV measurement system based on the MagNimbus magnetometer in vertical gradiometer configuration: the case study of the Altopiano di Verteglia (Montella, AV – Southern Italy).

This technical note aims to deepen the knowledge on the MagNimbus magnetometer in vertical gradiometer configuration through testing activities performed in May 2024 at the Altopiano di Verteglia (Montella, AV – Southern Italy) by the Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment of the National Research Council of Italy (IREA-CNR). This instrumentation has been purchased as part of the project IR0000032 – ITINERIS, Italian Integrated Environmental Research Infrastructures System (D.D. n. 130/2022 - CUP B53C22002150006) Funded by EU - Next Generation EU PNRR- Mission 4 “Education and Research” - Component 2: “From research to business” - Investment 3.1: “Fund for the realisation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures” in the framework of the WP7 and Activities 7.5, led by IREA-CNR. We first describe the adopted data collection system that includes the magnetometer, the drone, the radar altimeter, the on-board computer and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Mobile Station; briefs description of the magnetometric method and the involved softwares are also included. We then introduce the features of the chosen test site and describe the settings of the performed test. Following, we show the collected data by discussing the related main issues. Finally, we remark our findings and report the main points to be explored yet.