For many years, the task of clearing unexploded bombs and other ordnance from former military training sites in Hawaiʻi has been challenging due to the unique volcanic rock landscape.
With traditional metal detectors proving to be only about 50% effective, experts are exploring alternatives that could potentially revolutionize the detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO).
Andrew Alling, a student at the University of Hawaiʻi College of Engineering, articulated the limitations of current detection methods, stating that false positives arise when metal detectors cannot differentiate between natural metallic rocks and targeted debris.
Recognizing the need for improvement, Alling is part of a team that includes students, professors, and the university’s drone squad, set to investigate new detection techniques that do not rely on magnetic fields.
This initiative comes at a crucial time, as the U.S. Army has announced its plans to return significant land for public use, including more than 780 acres of the Mākua Military Reservation, long sought after by community members and cultural practitioners.
Mālama Mākua, a nonprofit organization advocating for the land return, estimates that it could take decades to remove the remnants of military training, which has littered the valley with bombs and chemicals since live-fire exercises ceased in 2004.
Vince Dodge, a Mālama Mākua advocate, expressed optimism about the university’s efforts, suggesting that advancements in detection equipment could save the Army time and costs.
Alling described the limitations currently faced by crews at the Waikoloa Maneuver Area, where large carts equipped with magnetic sensors result in high false positive rates due to the pervasive volcanic landscape.
As a response to this ongoing issue, the UH team expects to receive a substantial two-year grant of $6 million from the Army Engineer Research and Development Center to refine their research into UXO detection.
Although funding was initially delayed during the Trump administration, the team has not been idle.
They have begun testing drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras at locations such as Kawai Nui and the UH baseball field in Mānoa.
The team hopes that combining thermal imaging with advanced detection methods—like acoustic and seismic-based imaging—could enhance the accuracy of locating unexploded ordnance.
Long-time weapons disposal technician Allan Vosburgh highlighted the significant need for improved UXO detection techniques, calling the search for better methods in the islands “the Holy Grail.”
Vosburgh, a Vietnam veteran and current CEO of the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation, underscored the importance of the UH project in light of the Army’s plans to return potentially contaminated land.
In Hawaiʻi, over 300 Formerly Used Defense Sites pose environmental cleanup challenges, including UXO clearance.
This figure does not account for Kahoʻolawe, known for its military bombardment activities, which only ceased in 1990, or the Mākua Military Reservation and Pōhakuloa, where live-fire training continues.
The cleanup efforts on Kahoʻolawe have cost the U.S. Navy over $340 million yet have only managed to clear 75% of the island’s surface, frequently encountering difficulties due to the complexities of the volcanic terrain.
A 2005 Defense Department report indicated that existing magnetic sensors used during the Kahoʻolawe cleanup could locate buried targets only half of the time.
Michael Nahoʻopiʻi, Director of the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission, recently met with the UH team, affirming the potential of their research while urging them to ensure financial feasibility for cleanup contractors.
He elaborated that high-tech solutions might not always be pursued due to time and financial constraints, emphasizing the need for immediate results to secure ongoing funding.
During the Kahoʻolawe cleanup, contractors did test an overhead detection drone, but it faced challenges with harsh weather conditions, resulting in a crash.
Nahoʻopiʻi acknowledged the advancements in drone technology since that time.
In contrast, the need to clear the Mākua Valley remains pressing, and community activists like Dodge are eager to reclaim the area for cultural and ecological revitalization.
Historically, access to the valley has been limited due to safety concerns regarding UXO, with stringent measures in place to protect anyone entering the area.
An alarming incident in 2015 saw two landscapers injured when a weed-whacker struck ordnance debris, underscoring the hazards still present.
Dodge articulated the community’s desires, stating that returning the Mākua Valley is essential for sustenance and ecological restoration, emphasizing the Army’s responsibility for the land they used for decades.
“We want it back, you know. We need this ʻāina to feed us again, to grow food, and to have water flowing back into the ocean,” he declared.
Ultimately, the collaborative efforts at the University of Hawaiʻi could pave the way for innovative solutions to the pervasive problem of unexploded ordnance in the islands, offering hope for a safer and cleaner future.
image source from：civilbeat
