The mine is always an inexpensive way to destroy the enemy. So inexpensive, that they dot many battlefields around the world. But after wars have ended, treaties signed, and armies returned to their bases, the mines are always left behind, and they remain threats not to armies, but to civilians who return to the fields to make a living. Over the years, land that could be brought to productive use lay dormant due to mines lurking beneath the surface, and people who lose their productive years as their limbs get blown by these mines.

The menace of the mines has been so grave the 162 state parties signed the Ottawa Treaty or the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (also known as the Mine Ban Treaty). A smaller number countries, including the major powers, USA, Russia, and China, have not signed the treaty.

Throughout the years, sappers or mine clearers either supported by governments, the United Nations, or Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), work through great danger clearing minefileds in various locations around the world, which is of last count, 60 countries still have mines in the fields. From sophisticated to crude tools to demine the fields, the campaign to clear the world of landmines moves at a snail’s pace.

Now an Afghan immigrant who moved to the Netherlands in 1998 in search of a better life has created technologies to help in mine clearing operations. Massoud Hassani, who is based in Einhoven, has created two mine clearing technologies he calls the Mine Kafon and the Mine Kafon Drone (MKD).  His first hand experience with landmines when he was a child led him to design these projects.

The Mine Kafon was launched on Kickstarter in 2013 and was able to achieve its funding goals and is now brought to Afghanistan for testing.

The MKD, which is now on Kickstarter, promises to be 20 times faster than other existing technologies. At its present pace, according to the Mine Kafon, it would take 1,100 years just to clear the world of landmines.

To put it simply, the MKD flies over areas said to be dotted with mines wherein it detects, and detonates mines safely, with the operator of the drone in a relative safe distance. Calling it “Airborne Demining” the Mine Kafon Drone is equipped with three tools to do its task: 1) a 3D Mapping System to determine via GPS the waypoints to identify the danger areas; 2) a robotic metal detecting arm which is lowered to about 4 centimeters for mine detection; and 3) a robotic arm places a small a detonator on the mine detected and the mine gets detonated safely with a timer.

The MKD promises to be a cheaper and faster way to clear mines around the world and its technology can provide a wealth of information that can be used for decision making in mine clearing operations, and for analysis for future operations.

The Kickstarter fundraising campaign targets €70,000 before a MKD can be rolled out for use around the world. The minimum for an individual or organization to get one fully-functioning MKD will be €3,000, which for its intended purpose is relative cheap and can be easily replaced as compared to a demining vehicle or a sapper.

I just wonder if other agencies can also provide funding grants to get this project get going faster as it does help save lives. This is one of the note-worthy projects that we have seen on Kickstater and it does deserve the funding support so it can be put to use as soon as possible.

Drones are now turning into essential tools in the our everyday lives, from taking photos and videos to potentially fast delivery tools. With the Mine Kafon Drone, they can also save lives.