SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION USING SEISMIC DRONES

1 . A seismic drone, comprising:

a drone, capable of take-off, flight, and landing, wherein the drone comprises:

a positioning device;

a surveillance system;

a telecommunications transceiver;

an electronic control system comprising a microprocessor,

adaptable landing gear; and

seismic receiver deployment system; and

a seismic data recording system.

2 . The seismic drone of claim 1 , wherein the seismic receiver deployment system comprises:

a seismic receiver;

a coupling system, that detachably couples the seismic receiver to the seismic drone;

an actuator to actively couple the seismic receiver to a ground surface; and

a feedback sensor to measure the coupling.

3 . The seismic drone of claim 1 , wherein the positioning device comprises a Global Positioning Satellite receiver.

4 . The seismic drone of claim 1 , wherein the surveillance system comprises a stereoscopic camera, and wherein the microprocessor comprises instructions executable by the microprocessor with functionality for determining a suitable landing point within a landing zone from a photograph obtained by the stereoscopic camera.

5 . The seismic drone of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunications transceiver is configured to receive a target location from a base station.

6 . The seismic drone of claim 1 , wherein the adaptable landing gear comprises:

an orientation sensor;

three adjustable legs; and

at least one adjustable joint that attaches a first one of the three adjustable legs to a lower surface of the seismic drone, wherein the adjustable joint is configured to modify an angle of extension of the first one of the three adjustable legs to produce a predetermined orientation of the orientation sensor.

7 . The seismic drone of claim 1 , wherein the seismic data recording system comprises an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) that converts an output of the seismic receiver to a digitized seismic trace; and

wherein the telecommunications transceiver is configured to transmit the digitized seismic trace to a base station or a master drone.

8 . The seismic drone of claim 6 , wherein the microprocessor comprises instructions executable by the microprocessor with functionality for attenuating noise in the digitized seismic trace.

9 . A system, comprising:

a plurality of seismic drones, each comprising a seismic receiver; and

a base station in telecommunication with each of the plurality of seismic drones.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising a master drone in telecommunication with the base station and with the plurality of seismic drones.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the base station transmits a target location to each seismic drone.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of seismic drones transmits seismic data to the base station.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of seismic drones transmits seismic data to the master drone and the master drone transmits the seismic data to the base station.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of seismic drones transmits seismic data to the master drone and the master drone stores the seismic data in non-transitory computer memory within the master drone.

15 . A method of deploying a plurality of seismic drones, each having a seismic receiver and a microprocessor, comprising transmitting, from a base station to each of the plurality of seismic drones, instructions executable by the microprocessor of each seismic drone, the instructions comprising functionality for:

taking off from an initial location carrying the seismic receiver;

flying to a first target location;

surveilling a first landing zone around the first target location;

landing within the first landing zone;

coupling the seismic receiver to a first ground surface;

recording seismic data;

decoupling the seismic receiver from the first ground surface;

taking off from the first landing zone carrying the seismic receiver;

flying to a final location; and

landing at the final location.

16 . The method of claim 15 , the instructions further having functionality for:

receiving, after taking off from the initial location, a second target location from the base station;

flying to the second target location;

surveilling a second landing zone around the second target location;

landing within the second landing zone;

coupling the seismic receiver to a second ground surface;

recording seismic data;

decoupling the seismic receiver from the second ground surface; and

taking off from the second landing zone carrying the seismic receiver.

17 . The method of claim 15 , the instructions further having functionality for transmitting the seismic data from a first one of the plurality of seismic drone to the base station, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the seismic data by the base station; and

storing the seismic data in non-transitory computer memory.

18 . The method of claim 15 , the instructions further having functionality for transmitting the seismic data from a first one of the plurality of seismic drones to a master drone, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the seismic data by the master drone; and

storing the seismic data in non-transitory computer memory within the master drone.

19 . The method of claim 15 , the instructions further having functionality for transmitting seismic drone status indicators from the seismic drone to the base station, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the status indicators by the base station; and

displaying the status indicators on a graphical user interface.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the status indicators comprise a coupling coefficient between the seismic receiver and the first ground surface.