Research on the application of unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic measurement based on rubidium optical pump magnetometer

Optical Pumped Magnetometers (OPMs) have become key instruments in the field of precision magnetic field measurement due to their high accuracy, stability, and compact design. These quantum sensors are widely applied in geophysical exploration, engineering surveying, and unexploded ordnance detection. This study presents the $$M_z$$-type rubidium atomic optical pumped magnetometer developed by the Quantum Precision Measurement Team at Zhejiang University of Technology, which is integrated with a custom-designed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) magnetic measurement platform. Under static conditions, a performance comparison experiment was conducted between the $$M_z$$-type rubidium atomic optically pumped magnetometer (ZAM) and a commercial QuSpin magnetometer. Additionally, a QuSpin magnetometer was mounted on one side of the UAV platform, and a self-developed magnetometer was mounted on the other side, to verify the performance of the instrument in practical applications. Experimental results show that: in static tests, the difference between the measurement data of the two sensors had a standard deviation (STD) of 0.3nT, indicating good agreement between the two sensors; in dynamic tests, variational mode decomposition was introduced to separate the geomagnetic signal from the system environmental noise, and the processed difference between the two ZAM instruments had an STD of 1.3nT. These experimental results demonstrate that the stability and accuracy of the ZAM magnetometer are comparable to those of commercial instruments. Finally, a field experiment carried out in a metal mining area of Huzhou further verified the efficiency and practicality of UAV aerial magnetic survey, highlighting its broad application prospects in mineral exploration.