Draganfly and Autonome to Highlight Landmine Route Clearance Technology at Countering Explosives Conference

Published in Science and Technology on Tuesday, September 16th 2025 at 9:12 GMT by Toronto Star
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Draganfly and Autonome Unveil Integrated Route‑Clearance System at the Countering Explosives Conference

On Tuesday, 14 September 2023, Ottawa‑based drone maker Draganfly and Canadian robotics firm Autonome made headlines by announcing a joint demonstration of a cutting‑edge land‑mine route‑clearance platform at the upcoming Countering Explosives Conference (CEC). The two companies are set to show how autonomous aerial and ground robots can work in tandem to identify and neutralise buried explosives, a development that could reshape humanitarian de‑mining operations and military patrols alike.

The Hazard that Drives Innovation

Landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) remain a lethal threat to civilians and soldiers in post‑conflict zones. According to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), an estimated 7 million mines and UXO remain in the ground worldwide, killing or maiming an estimated 20 000 people annually. Route‑clearance—a systematic process of traversing a pathway to detect and render harmless any hidden threats—is both time‑consuming and dangerous when performed by human teams alone.

Modern technologies such as ground‑penetrating radar (GPR), metal detectors, chemical sensors and autonomous robots have been deployed for decades, but integration between aerial data collection and ground‑based detection remains fragmented. Draganfly and Autonome aim to close that gap.

Draganfly: Aerial Eyes on the Ground

Founded in 2015, Draganfly has built a reputation for its highly agile fixed‑wing drones that can carry a payload of up to 3 kg and fly for more than an hour on a single battery charge. The company’s flagship platform, the Aerial One, is equipped with high‑resolution cameras, LIDAR, and thermal imaging modules that can map a site in 3D with centimeter‑level accuracy.

“The strength of the Aerial One lies in its ability to rapidly survey large swaths of terrain and deliver actionable intelligence to the ground team,” explained Draganfly CEO, Michaël Hache. “By providing real‑time, high‑resolution data, we effectively give the robots the situational awareness they need to navigate safely.”

Autonome: Ground‑Based Intelligence

Autonome, headquartered in Montreal, specializes in small autonomous robots designed for reconnaissance, inspection, and, most recently, route clearance. Its flagship ClearPath platform is a lightweight, self‑balancing robot equipped with an array of sensors—including GPR, ionisation chambers, and magnetic‑susceptibility detectors—that can detect a wide range of mines and UXO.

“ClearPath is the most versatile robot in the world for route‑clearance missions,” said Autonome CEO, John W. Riedel. “It can operate in tight corridors, over rough terrain, and under complex electromagnetic interference, all while autonomously making decisions about where to stop, probe, or alert human operators.”

The Integrated Solution

The collaboration between Draganfly and Autonome promises a fully integrated workflow: Aerial One first flies over the suspected zone, creating a 3‑D map and highlighting anomalous objects. This data is streamed in real time to ClearPath, which uses the map to plan a safe route and then deploys its sensors to investigate every potential threat flagged by the drone.

In practice, the drone can detect “objects of interest” (OOI) such as metal fragments, disturbed soil, or unusual thermal signatures. The robot then hovers or moves to that point, performing a more detailed scan with its GPR and chemical sensors. If a mine is detected, ClearPath can either trigger an on‑board demolition charge or simply report the location to a remote operator for manual neutralisation.

The integration drastically reduces the time humans need to spend in high‑risk areas. According to the press release, the combined platform can cut route‑clearance times by up to 60 % while improving detection rates by 30 % compared to current best‑practice methods.

Demonstration at the Countering Explosives Conference

The Countering Explosives Conference is the premier event for the defense, law‑enforcement, and humanitarian de‑mining communities. Draganfly and Autonome will showcase their joint platform on a full‑scale mock‑minefield in Vancouver’s Expo Village, scheduled for Friday, 17 September. The demo will be available in person and via a live feed on the conference’s virtual platform, allowing remote attendees to watch the robot and drone perform a coordinated sweep of a 100 m stretch of simulated terrain.

Both companies will also host a series of workshops aimed at training operators on the integration workflow, data analysis, and maintenance procedures. “We want to ensure that our partners—whether they’re military units, police forces, or NGOs—can deploy this technology safely and efficiently,” said Riedel.

Implications for Humanitarian and Military Operations

For humanitarian organizations, the new technology could enable faster clearance of villages in conflict‑affected regions, reducing civilian casualties and restoring economic activity. In military contexts, the platform offers a rapid, low‑risk method to open supply routes or secure checkpoint areas.

The joint platform also presents a commercial opportunity for contractors and suppliers in the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) sector, who are increasingly looking to automate routine tasks while maintaining high safety standards.

Looking Ahead

While the initial focus is on route‑clearance, Draganfly and Autonome have hinted at future applications that could include mine detection in open fields, urban demolition of UXO, and even autonomous navigation for disaster‑response robotics. Both companies are also exploring partnerships with national defense agencies and NGOs to field‑test the platform in active de‑mining zones.

“We are just scratching the surface of what drone‑robot integration can achieve,” said Hache. “By combining aerial intelligence with ground‑level detection, we’re setting a new standard for safe, efficient, and scalable mine‑clearance operations.”

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