Fluxgate vector magnetometers: A multisensor device for ground, UAV, and airborne magnetic surveys

Fluxgate magnetometers are quite uncommon in geophysics. Recent advances in calibration of the devices and their magnetic compensation ability led Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg to develop instruments for magnetic measurements at different scales for a wide range of applications — from submetric measurements on the ground to aircraft-conducted acquisition by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A case study on the aerial military base BA112 shows the usefulness of the instruments for the detection of underground pipes, unexploded ordnance, and archaeological remains.