A deminer in a protective suit sweeps a metal detector over a patch of earth, listening for the telltale click. The process is methodical, dangerous, and slow. FindMine gGmbH, a German nonprofit founded in 2022, is building hardware to change that equation. Its bet is a custom unmanned aircraft system (UAS) equipped with a ground-penetrating synthetic aperture radar (GPSAR), designed to scan large areas from the air and identify buried objects without triggering false alarms from scrap metal [findmine.org].
The technical wedge
FindMine's differentiation is not just another drone platform, but a purpose-built sensor stack. The company developed its GPSAR radar from scratch, a system that uses a real-time kinematic (RTK) global navigation satellite system for centimeter-accurate localization of subsurface anomalies. The core technical problem in demining is discrimination: distinguishing a live anti-personnel mine from a harmless piece of shrapnel. Traditional metal detectors fail here, forcing slow, manual verification of every metallic signal. FindMine's radar is tuned to detect the specific dielectric signatures of mine casings and explosives, a method that could significantly reduce false positives. In May 2024, the team conducted validation tests at a controlled test site in Benkovac, Croatia, successfully detecting real, disarmed mines and unexploded ordnance.
A nonprofit's path to the field
The company operates as a gemeinnützige GmbH (gGmbH), a German nonprofit limited company. Its primary backer is the Urs Endress Foundation, which funds the project with the stated aim of redesigning civil mine detection to be faster, more effective, and cost-saving. This funding model aligns with the humanitarian mission but presents a different growth trajectory than a venture-backed hardware startup. Traction is measured in field validations and partnerships with established demining organizations. FindMine has already trained deminers from the Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD) on its system and plans to conduct initial field tests as part of an FSD demining program [findmine.org, Sep 2022][5].
The team driving this effort is a mix of radar specialists and software engineers, a group that publishes its processing algorithms at academic workshops like the International Workshop on Advanced Ground Penetrating Radar.
| Role | Name | Key Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| CEO & Co-founder | Dr. Winfried Mayer | Company leadership and strategy [findmine.org][7]. |
| System Architect, Radar & Software | Johannes Schlichenmaier | Developed new GPSAR processing algorithms; presented at IWAGPR. |
| Radar Developer | Bernd Arendt | Developed radar system for precise detection, reducing false alarms. |
| Software Engineer | Richard Gilchrist | Software development for the FindMine platform. |
The competitive landscape
FindMine is not alone in applying new technology to the ancient problem of landmines. The space includes both commercial ventures and research communities, each with a different technical approach.
- Mine Kafon. Perhaps the most publicly known competitor, this design studio creates wind-powered, ball-shaped devices that roll through minefields, detonating mines through pressure. Its approach is mechanical and low-cost, but lacks the discrimination capability of a sensor-based system.
- Demining Research Community. This is a broader collective of academics and NGOs focused on advancing demining technology through research and open collaboration. FindMine participates in this ecosystem, sharing research at its conferences.
The key differentiator for FindMine is its focus on aerial, radar-based discrimination. Where others map terrain or detonate devices, FindMine is trying to build a reliable data layer that tells deminers exactly where to dig.
The scale problem
From a technical standpoint, the system's promise hinges on two factors: discrimination rate and operational throughput. The radar must reliably ignore clutter while maintaining a near-perfect detection rate for actual mines,a failure in either direction is catastrophic. The company's recent tests in Croatia are a critical first step, but proving this in varied, real-world soil conditions across different conflict zones is the next, much harder benchmark.
Operationally, deploying a drone with sensitive radar equipment in active or post-conflict zones introduces a layer of complexity. It requires trained operators, logistical support, and airspace coordination that goes beyond handing a deminer a new tool. The cost-benefit analysis for NGOs will depend entirely on whether the system demonstrably clears land faster and safer than existing methods, justifying its operational overhead.
The path forward is clear: more field time. FindMine plans further tests in Ukraine in late 2025 [findmine.org, Sep 2022]. Success there wouldn't just validate a sensor; it would validate a new workflow for one of the world's most dangerous jobs.
Sources
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] findmine | UAS-based humanitarian demining technology | https://www.findmine.org/
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] Contact | FindMine gGmbH | https://www.findmine.org/contact
- [findmine.org, Sep 2022] FindMine Tests in Ukraine | https://www.findmine.org/post/findmine-tests-in-ukraine
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] Technology | findmine | https://www.findmine.org/technology
- [gichd.org, retrieved 2026] #GICHDInnovation2025 | https://www.gichd.org/fileadmin/uploads/gichd/Documents/Innovation_Conference_2025/Day3/Technology_Speed_Pitches_Day_3_GICHD_Innovation_Conference_2025.pdf
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] Funding | findmine | https://www.findmine.org/funding
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] About us | findmine | https://www.findmine.org/about-us
- [linkedin.com, retrieved 2026] SAS Tech - Greece | Professional Profile | LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sas-tech/
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] Publications | FindMine gGmbH | https://www.findmine.org/publications
- [Mine Kafon] Mine Kafon Official Website | http://www.minekafon.org
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] The FindMine Metal Detector goes from Research into Development | https://www.findmine.org/post/the-findmine-metal-detector-goes-from-research-into-development
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] Imprint and legal notice | findmine | https://www.findmine.org/imprint
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2026] Privacy Statement | FindMine gGmbH | https://www.findmine.org/privacy
- [Demining Research Community] Demining Research Community Official Website | https://deminingresearchcommunity.org/
- [findmine.org, retrieved 2026] Development and validation tests at CTRO Benkovac | https://www.findmine.org/post/development-and-validation-tests-at-ctro-benkovac