Agricultural Drones will Help Oilmen in Land Reclamation in Hard-to-reach Areas of the Arctic
Gazpromneft-Geo is testing aerial robotic systems for sowing grass mixtures in remote areas of the Arctic tundra. Agrodrones will help in restoring the vegetation cover in hard-to-reach areas where it is impossible to deliver and plant seeds using ground equipment.
Planting plants and soil reclamation is one of the final stages of each exploration project. Soils affected during prospecting and appraisal drilling or site development are sown with plants specially selected for the conditions of a particular region.
Gazpromneft-Geo for the first time planted seeds and fertilized the soil using an airborne robotic complex. The pilot project was implemented at the Leskinsky site in the north of the Gydan Peninsula. This area is distinguished by its remoteness from infrastructure, swampiness and lack of roads. The use of wheeled or tracked vehicles could also disturb the thin soil layer of the Gydan tundra. Taking into account the peculiarities of the region, cultures resistant to the Arctic climate were included in the grass mixture.
The agrodron made it possible to evenly cover a plot of 3.8 hectares with seeds. The work was carried out automatically and without direct human participation – the operator remotely controlled the mode and movement of equipment along a route drawn up in advance. An aerial robotic complex was also used to deliver and spray mixtures to stimulate plant growth. After evaluating the results of the pilot project, a decision will be made on further replication of the approach to other exploration assets of the company.
“The technologies that we use today must be not only efficient, but also safe for nature and humans. The priority of each exploration project is to preserve the ecosystems of the studied regions. The introduction of an airborne robotic complex will help us carry out reclamation efficiently, quickly and without additional impact on the tundra,” – Yuri Masalkin, General Director of Gazpromneft-Geo.
