Bomb buster drone aims to solve landmine problem in ten years (VIDEO)

A Dutch design company is developing a new airborne de-mining system which it hopes will rid the world of deadly underground explosives in conflict zones within ten years.

In 2011, while studying at the Design Academy Eindhoven, Massoud Hassani began dreaming of quicker, cheaper and less dangerous ways to detonate landmines which threaten the safety of civilians in more than 60 countries. 

It led him to set up Hassani Design BV and the 2012 creation of a wind powered ball designed to roll over minefields, detonating explosives on impact.

According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a Nobel Peace Prize winning group, as many as 4,000 people are killed or seriously injured by the anti-personnel explosives each year.

The United Nations estimates that the removal of one mine costs between $300-1000 each. But the new drone device by Hassani Design BV claims to be 200 times cheaper and 20 times faster than current de-mining technology.

The six rotor copter is called the Mine Kafon Drone and claims to be able to map, detect and detonate landmines from the air. The machine has just reached its $70,000 Kickstarter goal.

It uses GPS waypoints to sweep areas thought to be laden with landmines, before a robotic metal detecting arm pinpoints the exact location of the concealed explosives. 

Resembling a reconnaissance droid from the Star Wars series, the Mine Kafon then drops a small detonator to destroy the landmine without risking human lives. 

Those who donate $25 towards the innovation have been promised postcards of the areas mapped during the testing of the drone.

“Our mission is to solve the landmine problems within ten years,” Hassani explains in a promo video for the drone.

A new $130,000 goal has since been set on Kickstarter to enable the design firm to fit the machine with a hydrogen batteries that can extend its flying time.