Russia Uses Drones and Quantum Sensors to Locate Geothermal Water—Without Drilling

Russian geologists have developed a drone-based system that detects geothermal water sources up to 600 meters underground—without the need for expensive test wells.

Scientists at the Institute of the Earth's Crust in Russia have patented a new high-precision method for exploring geothermal reservoirs using drones and quantum magnetometers. As reported by TASS, the innovation dramatically speeds up the search for subsurface thermal waters while reducing exploration costs.

The system combines three key technologies: aerial magnetic mapping—where a drone with a quantum gradiometer scans terrain for subtle magnetic field changes; thermal imaging—to detect heat anomalies on the surface that suggest underground water; and computer modeling—integrating the data into a 3D map of promising drilling zones.

The method has already been successfully tested in the Baikal Rift Zone, home to more than 50 known thermal springs. According to researchers, this marks the first time such a comprehensive drone-based system has been used for geothermal exploration in Russia.

The approach eliminates the need for costly exploratory drilling and is effective at depths of up to 600 meters. Geothermal water could serve as a clean energy source for remote parts of Siberia and the Russian Far East.

The project demonstrates Russia’s growing leadership in advanced geological surveying and opens up new opportunities for the extractive sector. Plans are underway to scale the method across other regions in the coming years.