Courtesy photo A map of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and nearby areas of Northern Wisconsin is shown. The yellow represents the western portion of the U.P. and parts of Northern Wisconsin and the green represents the eastern portion of the U.P. Low-level flights will take place in these areas.

ESCANABA – Residents across the Upper Peninsula may notice low-flying planes this month; don’t fret; they are supposed to be there.

On May 30, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), an agency within the Department of Interior, announced there will be low-level plane flights over the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin using geophysical technology for data collection.

The USGS states the aircraft will be flown by pilots specially trained and approved for low-level flying, and the surveys will be conducted during the day.

USGS has contracted with Woolpert and EON Geosciences Inc. to collect the data.

The majority of the survey is scheduled to be completed in late fall of this year, but it may continue into the spring of 2026.

According to the USGS, previous surveys identified 50 critical minerals essential to the economy and national security.

The USGS is partnering with the Michigan Geological Survey, the Wisconsin Geological Survey, and the Natural History Survey in the effort.

“The USGS Earth MRI program’s data for the Upper Peninsula is incredibly valuable. It will significantly enhance our understanding of the U.P.’s complex geology and is crucial for making informed decisions about sustainable land and resource management, and protecting public health in the region,” said Sara Pearson, director of the Michigan Geological Survey.

The collection is scheduled to start in June, weather and flight restrictions permitting.

The flight will cover areas in 14 of the 15 U.P. counties, excluding Menominee County.

Flights will depart from various airports in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The USGS will utilize a fixed-wing survey aircraft to collect data along spaced flight lines at a normal elevation of roughly 300 feet, or 100 meters.

In the western part of the survey, the flight lines will be roughly 500 feet apart, and 1300 feet apart in the eastern portion.

The survey utilizes a magnetic device to detect variations in the Earth’s magnetic field that reveal subsurface structures up to 10,000 feet deep.

Sensors are used to measure natural low-level radiation to map the distribution of uranium, thorium, and potassium near the surface.

According to the USGS, “The survey will use aircraft equipped with an elongated ‘stinger’ mounted to the tail extending backward off the aircraft. The scientific instruments on the aircraft are completely passive, with no emissions that pose a risk to humans, animals, or plant life.”

Once the data is collected, it will be made public on www.sciencebase.gov. The data typically takes one year to process before being made public.

The planes will not collect data through photos or videos.

Once the data is processed, it is used to develop two-dimensional and three-dimensional high-resolution representations of the bedrock composition and structure to depths of roughly 10,000 feet, or two miles below the surface.

“The survey is funded by the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and is designed to meet needs related to mineral resource assessments, regional geologic framework and mapping studies, as well as water resource investigations and surficial mapping studies. Additionally, the data and maps are important for improving our understanding of parameters for infrastructure and land-use planning, and potential risks of naturally occurring radon,” USGS said in a press release.

It added that the data from the survey is vital information as it will greatly improve officials’ understanding of the area’s tectonic history.

According to the press release, “The survey fits into a broader effort by the USGS, the Michigan Geological Survey, the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, and other partners, including private companies, academics and state and federal agencies to modernize our understanding of the Nation’s fundamental geologic framework and knowledge of mineral resources.”

The effort is known as the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, which encompasses airborne geographical surveys, hyperspectral surveys, geochemical reconnaissance surveys, topographic mapping, and other geologic mapping projects.

For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.