London, February 5, 2024 British AI/munitions technical intelligence company Fenix Insight Ltd have joined forces with Ace High Drone Specialists to develop an industry first to support the demining efforts in Ukraine with a new AI-assisted real time visual surveying drone, IRIS – Image Recognition Identification System.
The Urgent Need in Ukraine
With Ukraine being the most heavily mined country in the world today, with hundreds of thousands of mines, submunitions and other ordnance scattered across fields, roads and in devastated cities, there is an urgent need for support for mine clearance.
IRIS – Revolutionizing Demining Efforts with AI
Harnessing cutting-edge AI algorithms and machine learning models, IRIS accurately surveys and records contaminated areas detecting, identifying and mapping Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) threats littering the land in real time.
The speed of IRIS’s surveying capabilities reduces the duration ordnance teams need to spend in high-risk areas, thereby minimising exposure to hazards. This is complemented by IRIS’s remarkable ability to identify UXO threats with unprecedented speed, in milliseconds.
Successful Field Demonstrations Validate IRIS’s Capability
In collaboration with Kherson Military Authority, Ukrainian Army Engineers, DSNS (Ukrainian Ministry of Emergencies EOD teams), and the Ukrainian Police EOD Unit in Lviv, field demonstrations took place in the Kherson region of Ukraine on Monday, January 29th, 2024, providing compelling proof of capability. Despite repeated air raid warnings and other disruptions to be expected in an active conflict zone, the demonstration team deployed IRIS and successfully detected TM62 mines in live mined areas in real-time; something that has never been achieved before to this level of reliability and accuracy in a current conflict area.
A link to the field trials can be found here
David Hewitson, Chief Executive of Fenix Insight Limited said “We are immensely proud to unveil IRIS, our cutting-edge AI-assisted visual surveying drone, in collaboration with Ace High Drone Specialists. In a groundbreaking moment for the industry, IRIS marks a significant leap forward in supporting demining efforts in Ukraine, the most heavily mined country globally. Our commitment to innovation and safety is evident as IRIS harnesses state-of-the-art AI algorithms and machine learning, allowing for faster, more accurate detection, identification, and mapping of Unexploded Ordnance threats. The successful field operations in the Kherson region on January 29, 2024, where IRIS detected TM62 anti-tank mines in real-time, underscore its unprecedented reliability and accuracy in a live conflict zone. This marks a pivotal moment in advancing humanitarian efforts, and we are honoured to be at the forefront of this transformative initiative.”
Simon Hardman, Director of Ace High Drone Specialists said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Fenix Insight and authorities in Ukraine on this groundbreaking initiative.
Working together has allowed us to contribute our expertise in drone technology to a cause of immense significance. The successful deployment of IRIS in the Kherson region highlights the positive impact of our partnership in advancing the capabilities of demining efforts.”
Robin Horsfall, Director of Ace High Drone Specialists said: “The importance of planning for the future peace of Ukraine cannot be overstated.
While there is still a war to be won, preparing for the aftermath is crucial for the recovery of Ukraine and for world food supply. It is vital that Ukraine is able to restore all arable land. One undiscovered anti-tank mine will destroy heavy farm machinery as easily as it destroys a tank. Children will not return to school or play in the streets until unexploded submunitions and mines are completely removed. Drones, working with AI, will help engineers work safely and more quickly to make Ukraine safe for the long-term future. The rapid and efficient removal of explosive ordnance will speed up this process allowing Ukrainians to return home to restore their nation.”
