Do the survey helicopters photograph or film private property?

No. The sensors used on the helicopters are completely passive instruments that detect magnetic and radiometric data. They do not capture photography or video.

Where are the flights operating from?

The flights operate during daylight hours from staging bases at Bishop and Lone Pine airports in California.

How will the survey data be made available?

The collected geophysical data will be released to the public at no cost through the USGS ScienceBase website once processing is complete.

USGS Helicopter Surveys to Map California and Nevada Geology

Low-level airborne geophysical surveys will begin in early October across eastern California and western Nevada to map subsurface geology, critical minerals, groundwater, and seismic and volcanic hazards. Conducted collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Geological Survey, the flights will gather magnetic and radiometric data that will be released publicly to inform resource management and hazard assessments.

Low-level airborne geophysical flights across eastern California and western Nevada are scheduled to begin in early October to image regional geology and underground structures, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The project is a collaborative effort between the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, known as Earth MRI, and the California Geological Survey. The flights will cover Fresno, Inyo, and Mono counties in California, as well as Esmeralda and Mineral counties in Nevada.

Flight Operations and Instruments

To conduct the survey, the USGS contracted commercial flight operators NRG Exploration USA Inc. and Woolpert. Teams will operate AS350 helicopters flying at an altitude of 330 feet (100 meters) above the ground, following survey lines spaced 660 feet (200 meters) apart.

Flight operations will take place during daylight hours and be based out of local airports in Bishop and Lone Pine, California. The aircraft carry scientific sensors designed to record variations in magnetic and radiometric fields. According to the USGS, the equipment is entirely passive and captures no photographic or video imagery.

Mapping Resources and Hazards

The survey is examining major geological formations in the region, including the Long Valley caldera, the eastern Sierra Nevada range front, and the Owens Valley. Scientists are seeking to identify deposits of critical minerals, underground water basins, and potential energy resources.

The data will also support hazard mitigation by clarifying seismic faults and volcanic risks along the eastern Sierra Nevada.

Jamey Jones, science coordinator for the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, highlighted the role of state-federal coordination in gathering resource data. "Partnership with state surveys helps accomplish national goals like mapping the critical minerals the U.S. needs," Jones said. "The California Geological Survey is helping with the work of the nation—and adding to state knowledge crucial to water resources, hazards and the resource economy."

Jeremy Lancaster, California state geologist and director of the California Geological Survey, noted that the joint initiative collects modern geological data in priority regions and makes it freely accessible to expand understanding of the state's subsurface conditions. "This 2026 airborne geophysical survey is of significant scale and in an area that has been a focus for some years," Lancaster said.