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Farmers in Kerry and Clare are being warned of low-flying aircraft over the counties in the coming months.
The plane is conducting the Tellus survey, which is compiling a geophysical map of Ireland. The final leg of this will begin in Kerry and Clare this spring.
The aircraft will fly at very low altitudes: 60m in rural areas, which is about eight times the height of a two-storey house, and 240m in urban areas, to allow them to make accurate measurements.
Due to the low-flying altitude of the survey aircraft, anyone concerned about sensitive livestock is encouraged to contact the Tellus freephone information line on 1800 45 55 65. The Tellus team will provide information on upcoming flight plans.
Peatlands
New research from Tellus released in recent weeks has increased the area of Ireland thought to be covered by peaty soils from 24% to 30%.
Tellus is a national mapping programme managed by Geological Survey Ireland, a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Minister for the Environment Darragh O’Brien said the survey, which has been in the making for the last 14 years, will assist State agencies in understating areas including agricultural productivity and peatlands.
“By the end of the survey, we will have flown all the far corners of the country and everywhere in between, collecting detailed geophysical data.
“The airborne data is being used to improve our geological maps and search for critical raw materials.
“By making all the data freely available, we can assist companies [and] State agencies, as well as researchers, in better understanding the subsurface, in particular studies into radon gas, environmental pollution, agricultural productivity and the extent of peatlands,” he added.
The Department of the Environment said the data has the potential to deliver positive economic, environmental and agricultural benefits by helping to assist in understanding the local environment, soil management and natural resource potential for these counties and the whole country.
Data collected throughout the Tellus project is published and made freely available to all on the Geological Survey Ireland website.
Survey
The Tellus survey aims to have 100% of Ireland mapped by the end of 2025.
The rest of the country has already been mapped and when the final two counties are finished, Ireland will be one of the best geophysical mapped countries in the world, the Department of the Environment has said.
The survey uses two aircraft, which are white, twin-propeller planes. They are easily identified by their red tail and black stripe, as well as the word ‘SURVEY’ and registration numbers C-GSGF and C-GSGP written across both sides of the plane.
The programme is collecting geo-chemical and geophysical data on rocks, soil and water across Ireland.
To gather this data, scientific equipment is fitted to a plane which flies in a grid pattern. In 2025, the survey planes will be based at Shannon Airport under permit as approved by the Irish Aviation Authority.
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