Well Organized – The First Croatian Mine Action Center (HCR-CTRO)

At the end of every war, sorrow and suffering remain. The war in Yugoslavia (Croatian war, 1991-1995) also claimed its victims over the years. Several explosive devices that did not explode directly did not claim any lives, but they are a permanent and acute danger until the final explosion. This is a major post-war problem that has been addressed. The Croatian Center for Demining – Center for Testing, Development and Training (HCR-CTRO) originates precisely from this problem and is thus the first institution in Croatia established for research, development, testing and even training in the field of demining. HCR-CTRO is authorized to perform certifications for the following services, among others:

• Demining machines
• Metal detectors
• Mine detection dogs
• Personal protective equipment

Facts Overview – Mine Situation in Croatia, Ukraine and Worldwide

A further goal of the HCR-CTRO is to support other mine-affected countries in their organization and management of humanitarian demining projects.

According to Action Alliance Landmine.de, a site of “handicap international“, Croatia and Ukraine (with more than 100 km²) are among the nine most mine contaminated areas in the world. Other massively contaminated countries include Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Yemen, Cambodia and Turkey.

110 million landmines worldwide was enough cause 26 years ago, in 1997, for the Ottawa Act to be passed directly two years later. As a result, antipersonnel mines have been banned in more than 160 countries (80 percent of all countries). Its reach and significance help make the Ottawa Law an important milestone in international humanitarian law. It prohibits the production, transfer, stockpiling, and use of antipersonnel mines and requires states parties to demine and provide victim assistance.

However, ongoing conflicts make legally manifested demining difficult, as is currently the case in Ukraine. The Landmine Monitor recorded over 3,108 landmine victims there between 2011-2021. A relic from the First and Second World War, as well as from the armed conflict between Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists, which has been ongoing since 2014. Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, there have been as many as 277 casualties as of September 2022. Again, for historical and current reasons, demining will take decades, although work to locate, map and remove the mines is already underway, according to the non-profit foundation gichd.org. (GICHD: Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, international expert organization based in Switzerland).

Mine and ammunition clearance is and will therefore remain a mammoth task that requires not only professional central control, but also qualified explosive ordnance disposal companies and precise measuring equipment. At this point and as part of Mine Action 2023, the SENSYS MagDroneR4 was presented.

Safe Explosive Ordnance Detection with the MagDroneR4 – Facts at the Mine Action Symposium

The Mine Action Symposium is an annual event organized by HCR-CTRO. An international conference where solutions and experiences to challenges in mine detection are exchanged, as well as the latest technologies and available methods. From 03-05 May 2023, SENSYS was able to highlight facts and present the SENSYS MagDroneR4 in a technical context at the 19th International Symposium with high technology, know how and solutions.

Why is the MagDroneR4 one of the most efficient, modern and above all safe probing solutions?

The MagDroneR4 is an ultra-mobile magnetometer measuring system. It has been developed for large-scale measurement campaigns and can also reach places where access for people or vehicles is no longer possible (UAV). The MagDroneR4 is used for high-resolution mapping to detect compact objects as well as structures in the ground (bombs, munitions or settlement features). Especially in the field of explosive ordnance detection, non-contact munitions searches can be realized and evaluated with the basic tools of SENSYS. A sensor distance of 50 cm, with a track width of 2.5 m, enables an area performance of 3 to 4 ha per hour. And even though the MagDrone R4 is one of the most precise probing solutions in the world, “it is important to understand that there cannot be one technology for detecting landmines. It will always be an interplay and overlay of several technologies to achieve the highest possible detection rate.” (Quote Markus Schikorra, SENSYS Specialist Airborne & Remote Platforms).

MagDroneR4 – Get knowledge, facts and answers at #sensysmag | www.sensys.de

Information about the “19th International Symposium Mine Action 2023” is available here.

You can find out more about Aktionsbündnis Landmine.de here.

All information about GICHD can be found here.

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