Mer Bleue Bog Bombs: Drone Scan Reveals Explosives
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for decades, a section of the Mer Bleue Conservation Area east of Ottawa has held a hidden and perhaps dangerous secret: unexploded ordnance left over from its days as a Cold War-era bombing range. A recent drone survey has mapped the location of these remnants, offering a clearer picture of the risk – and highlighting a novel approach to land remediation.
A Legacy of Training: The BogS Bombing Past
The Mer Bleue bog, a vast and unique wetland, served as a target practice area for the Department of National Defense (DND) from the 1950s until 1960.Pilots used the area to hone their bombing skills, dropping aerial bombs weighing up to 450 kilograms. The challenging terrain, however, proved problematic when it came to cleanup.
In 1960, a bomb disposal team attempted to clear the range, but the bog’s soft, organic ground made the task nearly unachievable. The area was never officially declared free of explosives, and in 1965, ownership transferred to the National Capital Commission (NCC). Despite the lingering risk, DND maintains the UXO (unexploded explosive ordnance) risk is low due to limited human access to the affected areas.
“As long as the area is maintained as parkland, the risk will remain low,” explained DND spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin in an email. Currently, there are no plans for removal unless redevelopment occurs.
Mapping the Danger: A Drone-Based Solution
Recently, a team led by Arzate, a representative of a tech company specializing in aerial surveying, undertook a project to map the unexploded ordnance within the bog. Utilizing advanced drone technology and specialized detectors, they spent four days – five hours each day – surveying the area.
The bog’s unique composition proved surprisingly helpful. ”The bog itself is very different from everything else. It’s made of pure organic matter,” Arzate explained. “That makes it easy for us when we’re trying to detect abnormalities that are not composed of organic material.”
the drones allowed for a non-invasive survey, demonstrating the potential to assess and map UXO sites without the need for heavy machinery or extensive ground disturbance.The resulting aerial map, provided by DND, shows numerous red crosses marking the locations of identified impact craters - and likely, the buried ordnance within.
Beyond Remediation: A Versatile Technology
Arzate’s team isn’t solely focused on clearing unexploded bombs. They envision a broader application for their aerial surveying technology, including use in mining, resource extraction, and other land remediation projects.”We intended to use this technology for mining and resource extraction, but wanted to demonstrate that it could be applied widely, including for defence and land remediation purposes,” Arzate said. He emphasized the team’s pride in achieving these results without important corporate funding.
The Mer Bleue project, he believes, represents “a pretty honourable cause” – a demonstration of how innovative technology can address both historical legacies and contemporary challenges. The success of the drone survey offers a promising path forward for identifying and managing UXO risks in sensitive environments, balancing public safety with the preservation of valuable ecosystems.