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Military Geographical Institute , Belgrade , Serbia
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Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Military academy, University of Defense, Military Geographical Institute , Belgrade , Serbia
Military Geographical Institute , Belgrade , Serbia
University “Union-NikolaTesla”, Faculty of Business Studies and Law , Belgrade , Serbia
Knowledge of geomagnetic characteristics, particularly magnetic declination, is essential for aviation safety, and military operations. This paper presents the methodology and results of geomagnetic surveys conducted at military aerodromes in the Republic of Serbia using the EDA DIM 100 declination–inclination magnetometer paired with a Carl Zeiss Theo 020 theodolite (DIM instrument). Absolute measurements were carried out following international standards defined by the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA), including multiple series of observations to mitigate short-term geomagnetic variations. The paper demonstrates the practical implementation of fluxgate-theodolite systems in calibration areas and highlights the importance of magnetic hygiene, precise time registration in controlled environmental conditions. A constant secular fluctuation in magnetic declination congruent with accepted geomagnetic observation procedures is confirmed by the multi-epoch results obtained at the "Morava" military airport. Over 16.5 years, the declination increased from 3° 28.4′ in 2007.5 to 5° 17.8′ in 2024.0, resulting in a total shift of 1° 49.4′. This translates to an average annual change of roughly 7.18′ annually, which is consistent with Serbia's regional geomagnetic models and validates the accuracy of repeated surveys. Periodic re-surveys are required to avoid accumulated heading errors that could compromise navigation precision.
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