The first testing ground for demining technologies opened in Lviv region
June 24, 2025
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine has handed over the Mines Eye aerial reconnaissance system to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. This modern unmanned technology uses sensors for remote detection of mines and other explosive ordnance, making demining faster, more accurate, and safer. Mines Eye is the development of a Ukrainian team that participated in the first Demining Bootcamp and regularly joined the testing of sensor technologies organized by UNDP in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy.
"Innovations are the future of humanitarian demining. We see how, literally in a year and a half, projects that were at the idea level are already successfully surveying hundreds of hectares of fields. And they do it so well that the SES, whose specialists worked with the system in trial operation mode for several months, purchases it with the support of UNDP and funding from Luxembourg. This is a win-win situation, because the rescuers received modern equipment for surveying fields, and innovators understand that their developments are in demand," noted Ihor Bezkaravainyi, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine.
The Mines Eye system uses a magnetometer with high-precision aerial photography and infrared imaging to remotely survey large contaminated areas. With the use of artificial intelligence, the technology identifies explosive remnants of war, particularly anti-tank mines, even under vegetation. Mines Eye provides operators with detailed maps and reports of anomalies, which allows for qualitative planning of manual or mechanical demining before starting work directly on the ground.
"Ukraine's technological ingenuity, amplified by international support, helps change the very approach to humanitarian demining. Our priority is clear: to ensure access to land, restore livelihoods, and support Ukraine's recovery through technological, coordinated, and evidence-based solutions. Thanks to such tools, we can return land to communities faster and safer, providing protection to those who need it. Humanitarian demining is not only about neutralizing mines, but also about restoring safety, rebuilding lives, and developing economic potential," said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator Haoliang Xu, who participated in the handover of the system.
During five months, SES sappers who took part in training by UNDP surveyed over 360 hectares of confirmed and potentially hazardous territories in the Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions — some of the most heavily mined regions in Ukraine.
"Mines Eye is a smart solution that allows surveying hazardous territories quickly, accurately, and without risk to people. The system can detect threats in areas where it is too dangerous to work manually. We are grateful to international partners for their support — not only here and now but also in building long-term solutions that bring back safety step by step, meter by meter," emphasized the First Deputy Head of the SES of Ukraine Vitalii Myroniuk.
The Mines Eye system will be integrated into the SES operational work and will be applied throughout Ukraine to support humanitarian demining in conditions of complex terrain, limited access, or high density of contamination.
UNDP, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and international partners, is implementing a comprehensive, technology-driven approach to humanitarian demining. This includes testing unmanned and underwater systems, expanding the technical capacity for surveys, and strengthening coordination at the national level.
