Is Ground Penetrating Radar Safe to Use?
Yes. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is considered safe for operators, cemetery staff, and visitors. The equipment uses very low-power radio waves—about one-thousandth the strength of a cell phone—so it does not disturb human remains, monuments, or nearby electronics. Surveys are noninvasive, silent, and require no digging.
Ground Penetrating Radar transmits non-ionizing radio pulses (typically 250–900 MHz) through the soil and measures the echoes. The power output is less than two watts—roughly the same as a household Wi-Fi router—so it poses no radiation or electrical hazard to people, animals, pacemakers, or headstones. Because the signal loses strength within a few feet of the antenna, nothing outside the immediate scan line is affected.
During a Sentry Mapping cemetery survey, certified technicians push a lightweight GPR cart across the turf. There is no drilling, excavation, or contact with caskets, meaning remains stay undisturbed and the landscape shows no evidence of the work once the wheels roll past. All equipment meets FCC Part 15 emission limits, and our team follows OSHA and cemetery-industry best practices for PPE, site control, and respectful conduct.
The result is a completely non-destructive way to detect unmarked graves, confirm plot boundaries, and digitize records. Managers get precise GPS-tied data for every burial, plus an interactive cemetery GIS map and two years of free Chronicle cemetery management software—without risking visitor safety, staff health, or the integrity of historic sites. In short, GPR delivers the safest, most reliable path to modern, professional cemetery mapping.