A life-saving technology
Unmanned Aircraft Systems for mine detection
Synthetic Aperture Radar:
Innovative Ground-Penetrating
Motivation
Millions of mines and unexploded ordnance remain in the ground in many regions of the world. They endanger peopleʼs lives, block fields, destroy infrastructure, and prevent economic recovery – often decades after a war.
findmine is dedicated to transforming research findings into practical mine detection products using Ground-Penetrating Synthetic Aperture Radar (GPSAR) and metal detectors supported by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
Anti-personnel mines are banned under international law by the Ottawa Convention, but major countries such as the USA, Russia and China have not yet ratified the ban. In recent years, the quality and quantity of contamination with mines and unexploded ordnance has unfortunately continued to worsen and multiply due to new conflicts.
New technologies offer hope: Sensor technology, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, and intelligent data analysis can make mine detection faster, safer, and more affordable. However, because these methods offer little profit, no investment is being made in genuine innovation for these purposes.
The Urs Endress Foundation wants to change this – with targeted funding and the establishment of findmine, a non-profit company founded in 2022. There, the latest sensor technology is being developed with autonomous flight systems for humanitarian mine detection.
Urs Endress
President of Urs Endress Foundation
and stakeholder of findmine
For reconstruction, not for battle
New mine detection technologies are also of interest to military actors. However, their objectives differ fundamentally from those of humanitarian mine action. findmine develops sensor-based systems specifically for civilian and humanitarian use. Our approach is aligned with the principles of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus: Mine Action and the Triple Nexus by Markus Schindler (FSD).
The findmine solutions are designed for use in post-conflict areas – robust, affordable, and globally applicable. Cooperation with military or industrial partners is possible if it serves humanitarian objectives and includes clear safeguards against misuse. Any collaboration with actors involved in the production or use of anti-personnel mines is categorically excluded.
Why innovation is so difficult
Humanitarian mine clearance is underfunded. International standards often rely on outdated technical solutions, making innovation difficult. New technologies carry risks and require field testing, which is costly and time-consuming. Realistic testing is only possible where people still live with mines and unexploded ordnance, often in hard-to-reach and hazardous regions.
findmine works closely with the Swiss organization Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD) on field tests – for safe, practical testing under real-world conditions.
Goal and ethics
Since 2015, the Urs Endress Foundation has funded research projects at leading academic institutions in Germany and Switzerland – including ETH Zurich and universities of applied science in Ulm and Stuttgart.
The Foundation operates on a non-profit basis. Its goal: to develop effective, affordable, and groundbreaking technologies to clear mines and unexploded ordnance faster and more safely – where conventional methods alone are inadequate now.
findmine aims to sustain itself over time and continue developing new solutions independently. Future revenue will come from the sale of systems, services, licenses and sensors.
Humanitarian mine detection remains a global, ongoing challenge. Unmanned Aircraft Systems and robots in wars are creating greater demand than ever before. findmine provides the technology needed for this. For more information see the Funding section.
The development of a groundbreaking new sensor concept can take up to 10 years. The Urs Endress Foundation enables findmine to continuously and purposefully pursue a promising approach through to product development. Our work is not constrained by three-year research project cycles, and we use our resources to solve technological problems, not to acquire funding.
Cooperation with military or industrial partners is possible if it serves humanitarian objectives and includes clear safeguards against misuse. Any collaboration with actors involved in the production or use of anti-personnel mines is categorically excluded.
"Our technology is only successful if it has an impact
– in the field, not in the lab."
Dr. Winfried Mayer CEO of findmine
Dr. Winfried Mayer is a radar and sensor specialist with decades of experience in technology development for industry. Since 2022, he has headed findmine and is responsible for translating research results into market-ready, non-profit products. He regularly presents the findmine technology internationally, engaging with potential partners and customers at conferences and at field test events, for example in Croatia, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
What has been achieved so far
Organisation and network
findmine was established as a non-profit organization with a small expert team and headquarters in southern Germany, near Ulm. The network includes partner organizations, researchers, field experts, and international users.
Solutions and technology
findmine has developed a modular sensor system that combines an unmanned aircraft system with Ground-Penetrating Synthetic Aperture Radar. This allows suspected mine zones to be mapped from the air: comprehensively, efficiently, and without exposing people to danger. The software detects typical subsurface signatures and visualizes them promptly. This enables safe mine clearance using machines and robots.
Tests under real conditions
Field trials took place in Germany, Croatia, Portugal, and Ukraine in cooperation with international partners – including the German and Swiss Armed Forces, the Swiss NGO FSD, and Croatiaʼs center for mine action evaluation and training (CTRO). For these deployments, dedicated test fields were set up, training sessions conducted, and blind validations carried out. Multiple independent trials have impressively confirmed the groundbreaking potential of findmineʼs technology.
Field testing with FSD in Southeast Europe (2023)
Photo: FSD
Applied expertise and
field engagement
With its growing presence in the global mine action community, findmine contributes to specialist conferences and collaborates with key stakeholders in countries affected by landmine contamination. Through close collaboration with the Swiss NGO FSD, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), and potential pilot users, findmine demonstrates not only technical readiness but also alignment with urgent field needs.
These partnerships reflect a clear demand: the humanitarian sector is looking for new, scalable sensor solutions – and findmine is working to deliver them.
Timeline
