Drone GPR in India
Drone-mounted ground penetrating radar maps what is under the surface without walking the site: buried utilities, voids, rock layers, ice and archaeology. HobiTech supplies the complete SPH Engineering GPR system in India: radar, mount, SkyHub, UgCS and processing software, with training from the same team.
What drone GPR is used for
In India, the buyers are utility-mapping and infrastructure firms, metro, highway and civil contractors, mining and geotechnical consultants, and archaeology and glaciology researchers.
Utilities and buried infrastructure
Locate pipes, cables and voids before excavation, over sites a cart cannot cross. How a drone GPR found a buried water pipe.
Civil and geotechnical work
Check structures and the ground behind them on roads, embankments and retaining walls. Retaining wall quality control with drone GPR.
Mining and geology
Map layers and stockpiles over open, uneven ground. Drone GPR and an echo sounder at a coal mine.
Snow, ice and water
Profile snowpack, ice thickness and shallow water from the air. Mapping alpine snowpack for avalanche risk.
Archaeology and heritage
Survey protected sites without disturbing them. Drone GPR and magnetometry at the Mimbres heritage site.
UXO and landmine research
Airborne GPR has been tested for buried ordnance as a safer first pass. Testing airborne GPR for UXO and landmines.
The radar systems
The choice comes down to frequency: higher frequencies show more detail near the surface, lower frequencies reach deeper with less detail.
Single-channel GPR with a shielded antenna, in three versions.
- 500, 600 or 1000 MHz centre frequency
- Flies on a drone, or runs on foot with the GPR cart or a tow rope
- Centimetre positioning on the ground with the zBELL RTK receiver
Low-frequency GPR with unshielded dipole antennas, designed for airborne work.
- 100, 150 or 300 MHz antennas
- Depth up to 12 m in soil with εr = 5
- Geology and deeper structures
The airborne version of the Cobra CBD radar.
- 500 MHz centre frequency, 50–1400 MHz bandwidth
- Single-channel, unshielded antenna
- Also used for snow and ice thickness profiling
Low-frequency radar for engineering surveys where depth matters more than fine detail.
- 52, 80 or 124 MHz antenna options
- Listed for 20–30 m depth
- Single-channel, unshielded antenna
Airborne GPR from Guideline Geo for near-surface work where people cannot walk.
- 600 MHz antenna, MALÅ HDR technology
- 2.7 kg in operation, 1+ hour on one battery
- Rocky ground, snow, river crossings, avalanche zones
Side by side
| System | Centre frequency | Antenna | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zond Aero 500 / 600 / 1000 NG | 500 / 600 / 1000 MHz | Shielded | Utilities, shallow structures, air and ground |
| Zond Aero LF | 100 / 150 / 300 MHz | Unshielded dipole | Deeper airborne surveys, up to 12 m (εr = 5) |
| Cobra Drone CBD | 500 MHz | Unshielded | Utilities, archaeology, ice |
| Cobra Plug-In | 52 / 80 / 124 MHz | Unshielded | Deep geophysics, 20–30 m |
| MALÅ GeoDrone 600 | 600 MHz | MALÅ HDR | Remote, rocky or snow-covered sites |
What a complete system includes
The radar is one part. A survey-ready drone GPR is five pieces that have to work together, and we quote them as one configuration.
1. The radar
One of the systems above, chosen for the depth and detail the job needs.
2. A mount for your drone
Mountings are listed for the DJI M350/M300 RTK, DJI M400 and Inspired Flight IF1200. See mounts and cables.
3. SkyHub and an altimeter
The SkyHub onboard computer with the GPR software package triggers the radar and tags every trace. A radar or laser altimeter holds a constant low height over uneven ground.
4. UgCS flight planning
The SkyHub GPR package needs a UgCS licence to plan terrain-following survey lines.
5. Processing software
GeoHammer (free) for field checks, GeoHammer Pro for GeoTIFF and KML export. See GPR software.
Optional: ground kit
The GPR cart turns a Zond Aero into an on-foot system for paved sites; the zBELL RTK receiver adds centimetre positioning.
Which one do you need
A Zond Aero 500, 600 or 1000 NG, or the Cobra Drone CBD. Higher frequency resolves small, shallow targets; the Zond units also work on the ground with the cart.
The Zond Aero LF or the Cobra Plug-In. Lower frequency gives up detail to reach several metres down, further in dry soil.
The MALÅ GeoDrone 600, designed for rocky, snow-covered and river-crossing work.
A Zond Aero NG with the GPR cart and zBELL RTK, so one radar covers open land from the air and paved areas on foot.
Tell us the target, its likely depth, the soil and the drone you fly. We will suggest a configuration and say when a cheaper one will do.
Buying drone GPR in India
HobiTech is an Official Partner of SPH Engineering in India.
One quote for the whole system
Radar, mount, SkyHub, UgCS and software quoted together in rupees, so nothing is missing when the kit arrives.
Training and certification
SPH Engineering's GPR-1, GPR-2 and GPR-3 courses, self-study or trainer-led, with a practical exam. See GPR training.
Support from Bengaluru
First-line questions come to us, and go to SPH Engineering only when they need to.
The rest of the SPH range
Magnetometers, echo sounders, methane detectors and gamma spectrometers on the same SkyHub. Drone magnetometers in India · all SPH systems.
Drone GPR FAQs
Where can I buy a drone GPR in India?
HobiTech supplies SPH Engineering's drone GPR systems in India: Radar Systems Zond Aero, Radarteam Cobra and MALÅ GeoDrone, with SkyHub, UgCS and processing software. Send us your survey details and we will quote the full configuration.
How deep can a drone GPR see?
It depends on frequency and soil. The Zond Aero LF reaches up to 12 m in soil with εr = 5, and the Cobra Plug-In is listed for 20–30 m. Wet clay cuts depth sharply; dry sand extends it. High-frequency units trade depth for detail near the surface.
Which drone do I need?
Mountings are listed for the DJI M350 RTK, M300 RTK and M400 and the Inspired Flight IF1200. Tell us what you fly and we will confirm the mount and SkyHub setup.
Why does the drone need terrain following?
GPR works best at a constant, low height above the ground. SkyHub with a radar or laser altimeter holds that height over uneven terrain, which a normal flight app cannot.
What do I need to fly it legally in India?
The rules apply to the drone, not the radar: it needs a UIN on Digital Sky, and commercial flights need a remote pilot certificate. Check the site's airspace zone on the Digital Sky map before each job.
What does a drone GPR system cost?
Every system is quoted per configuration, because the radar, mount, software and training differ by job. Ask for the current lead time with your quote.
Tell us what you need to find underground
Share the target, the site and the drone you fly. We will recommend a radar and quote the full system in rupees.
Product and software details on this page use data from SPH Engineering, the manufacturer.