Borehole survey technology built on 40 years of field and scientific expertise
Anyone can make a gyro. Fewer can calibrate it correctly, maintain it across product generations, and back it with the scientific depth to know exactly why it performs the way it does.
What makes Inertial Sensing’s survey technology superior?
Most survey instruments on the market are designed to a price point. Inertial Sensing’s instruments are designed to a performance standard, then engineered to be as slim, light and efficient as physics allows. The difference shows in calibration depth, long-term stability and field reliability.
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Controlled calibrations
Every Inertial Sensing instrument undergoes rigorous in-house calibration grounded in inertial navigation theory. Not just factory defaults, but scientifically validated procedures developed over decades of field and lab work.
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Rugged, reliable & robust
Built to work where conditions are unforgiving. Inertial Sensing’s instruments are deployed daily across harsh conditions, from sub-zero operations to high-heat geothermal drilling.
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Survey sustainability
Inertial Sensing bring design, manufacturing and software, together under one roof. Inertial Sensing’s instruments are continuously updated based on field data, and operational needs
BlastGyro™ Eliminates encoders, & increase workflow
TwinGyro™ The slimmest 25 mm dual gyro on the market
GoGyro™ Optimised coring with 200 h battery life
NorthFinder™ Hybrid MEMS/FOG platform, with true azimuth
Choosing the right survey method
Different boreholes demand different approaches. At Inertial Sensing, we build instruments for both gyro and magnetic surveying, so you always have the right tool for the conditions on site.
Magnetic surveying
MEMS-based magnetic multishot instruments are compact, fast to deploy and cost-effective in magnetically clean boreholes. A practical choice for high-volume diamond drilling and coring programs.
Suitable for
✓ Magnetically clean boreholes
✓ Diamond drilling and coring
✓ High-volume production programs
✓ SingleShot and MultiShot applications
Recommended products
Compass25™ Compass35™
Gyro surveying
Angular rate sensors provide azimuth independent of any magnetic field. The correct choice when magnetic interference is present or when the program requires verified redundancy.
Suitable for
✓ Steel casing and magnetically disturbed ground
✓ Deep directional drilling
✓ High inclination and horizontal holes
✓ Any orientation from vertical to uphole
Recommended products
BlastGyro™ TwinGyro™ SlimTwin™ NorthFinder™ GoGyro™ SlimGyro™ TwinXS™
Gyro surveying
Angular rate sensors provide azimuth independent of any magnetic field. The correct choice when magnetic interference is present or when the program requires verified redundancy.
Suitable for
✓ Steel casing and magnetically disturbed ground ✓ Deep directional drilling ✓ High inclination and horizontal holes ✓ From vertical to any orientation
Recommended products
BlastGyro™ TwinGyro™ SlimTwin™ NorthFinder™ GoGyro™ SlimGyro™ TwinXS™
NorthFinder with NF Rig Aligner
Technologies developed by Inertial Sensing
TrueDepth™
Breakthrough in continuous surveying blasthole surveying.
Traditional continuous surveys require a physical depth encoder on the feeder reel to track how far the probe has traveled. TrueDepth eliminates it entirely. The probe measures its own depth inside the hole, removing two major sources of error: external rod slack between reel and hole, and rod sag inside the hole itself. The result is higher accuracy, simpler procedure and less equipment on site.
Key benefits
✓ simpler workflows ✓ no encoder ⛨ SurveySafe™
Unmatched dual gyro technology
Two independent surveys, in one go
Advanced dual gyro platforms set the standard for accuracy, reliability, and borehole access. Slim, rugged, and fully redundant, they deliver verified data for the most demanding drilling applications.
Key benefits
✓ full redundancy ✓ less rig downtime ⛨ SurveySafe™
SurveySafe™
Secure cloud data management built for global operations
SurveySafe™ automatically transfers field data to the cloud when connectivity is available. Geologists and planners have access from the office before the rig moves. Compatible with any survey system, with full traceability, controlled access and no data lock-in. Your data is yours, with no forced dependency between instruments and services.
Key benefits
✓ compatible with any survey system ✓ full traceability
Absolute northfinding technology
Hybrid MEMS/FOG platform
True north reference with continuous measurement ensures precision where it matters most. Hybrid MEMS/FOG platform delivers absolute azimuth independent of magnetic interference, critical for deep directional drilling and complex subsurface navigation.
Key benefits
✓ azimuth independent ✓ verified control ⛨ SurveySafe™
Everything under one roof
Precision is not built solely in the lab, it grows by the feedback collected from the fields, given to us by our global distributors. Every update, every calibration improvement, every new feature traces back to the people in field. Where efficiency, and accuracy, matters most. Our design, calibration and updates, will always focus on meeting the operational needs, from simplified workflows, to increased productivity. This combination of technology and human need, is what keeps Inertial Sensing’s instruments, ahead in the field.
Science & engineering
Doctoral-level expertise in inertial navigation, calibration, MEMS/FOG technology, and signal processing.
In-house Manufacturing
Designed and built in Stockholm. Full control over quality, tolerances and long-term product life.
Real life field knowledge
Every team member, from software to CEO, has been underground at a drill site. To provide the best solution, for the right application.
What goes around, comes around
Want to see the technology in action?
Explore our wide product range, or connect with us and talk to our business manager Dr. Dag Billger
FAQ’s
How does a gyro borehole survey instrument work?
1
A gyro borehole survey instrument uses angular rate sensors (gyroscopes) to measure changes in orientation as the probe travels through the hole. Combined with gravity sensors that measure inclination, the instrument builds a continuous record of azimuth and inclination from surface to end of hole. Because it relies on angular rate sensing rather than magnetic fields, it works accurately in steel casing, near ore bodies and in any geological environment.
What is TrueDepth and how does it improve borehole surveys?
2
TrueDepth is an IS1 innovation built into BlastGyro that eliminates the need for a physical depth encoder on the feeder reel. Instead of measuring depth externally, the probe measures its own depth inside the borehole. This removes two sources of error: slack in the feeder rod between the reel and the hole entrance, and sag of the rod inside the hole. The result is higher positional accuracy, a simpler survey procedure and less equipment on site.
What is dual gyro technology and why does it matter?
3
Dual gyro technology means two independent gyroscopes run simultaneously inside one instrument. Each produces a complete, separate survey result in a single pass down the hole. If one sensor deviates from expected values, the other provides verification. This eliminates the need for re-surveys, reduces rig downtime and gives operators full confidence in their data.
When should you use a gyro survey tool instead of a magnetic tool?
4
A gyro survey tool is the right choice when magnetic interference is present or likely, including near steel casing, in ore-bearing rock, in high inclination or horizontal holes, and in deep directional drilling programs. Magnetic tools remain a practical and cost-effective choice for high-volume programs in magnetically clean boreholes where interference is not a concern.
What is SurveySafe and how does it manage borehole survey data?
5
SurveySafe is IS1's secure cloud-based survey data management system. It automatically transfers field data to the cloud when connectivity is available, giving geologists and planners remote access to survey results before the rig moves on. It supports controlled access, full traceability and is compatible with any survey system. There is no data lock-in, your data remains yours regardless of which instruments you use.