Lead image by gqxue / iStock
By Ahmed Minhas
When Pablo Arzate launched a drone over Ottawa’s Mer Bleue Bog this summer, he was demonstrating how cutting-edge geophysics, proprietary hardware and AI-driven software can reveal what’s hidden beneath the surface.
Arzate is the founder of 3XMAG, a startup specializing in drone-mounted magnetometry and radiometry, technologies that detect subtle anomalies in the Earth’s magnetic field and natural radiation levels. Originally developed for mining, 3XMAG’s system is proving valuable for industries ranging from environmental monitoring to defence.
3XMAG founder Pablo Arzate
“What we’re doing is geophysics,” explains Arzate, a master’s student in Carleton University’s Technology Innovation Management (TIM) program.
“We’re measuring subsurface magnetic fields to identify metal objects that shouldn’t be there.”
And in Mer Bleue, a conservation area and former Royal Canadian Air Force bombing range, 3XMAG found plenty.
Bombs Beneath the Bog
The Mer Bleue Bog was once used for military training exercises during the Second World War, leaving behind large numbers of high explosive bombs. While the bog is safe for the public today (just don’t go exploring beyond the boardwalk), that history makes it an ideal proving ground for 3XMAG’s technology.
During a four-day field test, Arzate and his team identified dozens of magnetic anomalies — some measuring up to two metres long — matching the size and shape of 500 to 1,000-pound bombs used in WWII.
“We found more than we expected,” he says.
“Even on the first day, we got a spike in the magnetic field that indicated metal, something that doesn’t belong in a peat bog.”
Some of the anomalies were concentrated within a known target zone, others well beyond, raising questions about how much more is out there.
“It was a huge success for us,” says Arzate. “No one asked us to do this. No one paid us. It was a self-initiated project to validate our technology — and it worked.”
3XMAG’s technology wasn’t originally designed for unexploded ordnance (UXO) detection. The company began in Mexico as a family-run venture focused on mining, developing tools to detect subsurface resources such as gold, lithium, uranium, oil and underground water.
Arzate’s father is a geophysicist and his brother is a UAV mechanic and geospatial specialist. Together, they designed proprietary sensors and software capable of scanning wide areas and delivering AI-assisted interpretations directly to the field.
“The equipment isn’t off the shelf,” says Arzate.
“It’s ours, built in collaboration with partners in Ukraine and refined through use in the field.”
Push Towards Pilot Projects
Building on those results, 3XMAG is working towards a pilot project agreement with a Canadian nuclear laboratory for environmental monitoring. The company is also in talks with Ottawa’s Area X.O to establish a geophysics and robotics test ground.
“Our next step is paid pilot projects,” says Arzate.
“That’s how we’ll refine the technology, build our team and move towards commercialization.”
He believes defence is one of the most promising areas of application.
“This was our first test for defence,” he says. “The information we collected can help decision-makers plan for development or conservation in the area.”
With more than 500 UXO sites in Canada, the potential is clear.
“We’re offering a value proposition, not just tools but actionable geophysical intelligence for governments and organizations to make smarter decisions,” says Arzate.
Return to Carleton for Entrepreneurial Expertise
Arzate earned his first master’s degree in Industrial Design from Carleton and returned years later to pursue a second in Technology Innovation Management, specializing in entrepreneurship.
“I came back to Carleton because I knew Tony Bailetti was still here,” says Arzate.
Bailetti, long-time director of the TIM program, had left a strong impression.
“He struck me as somebody who had all the experience anyone looking to succeed in business would need. He has a way of translating complex ideas into what you need to hear.”
The TIM program helped Arzate refine his entrepreneurial mindset.
Technology Innovation Management Academic Director Tony Bailetti
“It pushed me to bring back what I already knew and expose it to experts,” he says.
“It taught me to pitch, validate and communicate complex geophysical ideas in a simple, compelling way.”
That business foundation has helped secure partnerships and support from Carleton’s Innovation Hub, Mitacs and industry collaborators. 3XMAG has drawn interest from the defence, mining and environmental sectors.
“We’re not trying to be the ones flying every drone,” explains Arzate. “We want to enable others to use this technology — UAV pilots, geophysicists, scientists — so they can get the data they need, faster and more accurately than ever before.”
With a clear roadmap, growing demand and a technology platform with wide applications and cost savings, 3XMAG is doing what few others can: mapping the invisible.
Third wide image by gqxue / iStock
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 in Technology, Technology Innovation Management
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