Total field magnetic measurements and analysis with a drone

In this master's thesis, the application of the total magnetic field method using drone based measurement systems is addressed through both methodological and practical approaches. The magnetic method provides information on the location, depth, extent, and boundary geometry of subsurface magnetizable structures by measuring irregularities in the Earth's magnetic field. Drone-assisted systems offer significant advantages over conventional methods due to their ability to collect high-resolution data at low altitudes and their operational convenience. In this study, the components of the Earth's magnetic field and its spatial and temporal variations were examined theoretically. Subsequently, total magnetic field data were acquired in a selected area using a high-sensitivity magnetometer integrated into a drone platform. During flight planning, technical parameters such as line orientation and spacing, flight altitude, and speed were carefully defined. The collected data were processed through base station correction, removal of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF), and micro leveling. To identify magnetic sources by data processing, Reduction to the Pole (RTP), analytic signal (AS), first vertical derivative (FVD), total horizontal derivative (THD), tilt angle (TA), and various derivative-based maps were generated. A three-dimensional structural analysis was conducted by integrating the X, Y, and Z derivative grids. For depth distribution, tilt angle based depth estimation and Radially Averaged Power Spectrum (RAPS) analyses were applied. The results indicate that drone-based magnetic measurements provide reliable and high resolution data for near-surface structures. This study contributes to the innovative and field oriented integration of drone technology with magnetic methods in the context of potential field applications. June 2025, 187 pages. Keywords: Drone, Magnetic method, Earth's magnetic field, Data processing, Magnetometer.