**Abstract**

Sonic drilling is a soil penetration technique that strongly reduces friction on the drill string and drill bit due to liquefaction, inertia effects and a temporary reduction of porosity of the soil. Modern studies to assess the effect of the vibration frequency of the drill bit on the rock fragmentation in experimental and theoretical works on drilling various rocks by the sonic method have shown that vibration frequencies of ~ 1.4 kHz are the most beneficial for ensuring the maximum drilling speed in hard rocks. The above frequencies of excitation of vibrations of the drill bit can be achieved by using a cavitation hydrovibrator. The cavitation hydrovibrator is the Venturi tube of special geometry that converts a stationary fluid (flushing mud) flow into an oscillatory stalling cavitation flow and hydrovibrator structure longitudinal vibrations. The drill bit vibration accelerations are realized in such a drill string, leading to the destruction of rock. Efficient removal of rock particles from the bottomhole is achieved due to high-frequency shock self-oscillations of mud pressure exceeding the steady-state pressure at the generator inlet. The cavitation hydraulic vibrator lacks the main disadvantages of submersible hydraulic hammers.

**Keywords:** sonic well drilling, high-frequency cavitation hydrovibrator, drill mud oscillations, drill bit longitudinal vibrational accelerations
