Ravi Kumar Tater

Improved safety, higher efficiency and lower cost are three value levers driving applications of drones in mining. Some of the uses which come from top of my head are -

1. Surveying (both ug and oc) - Forget those days when a surveyor had to carry a Total station or a 3D scanner. Using Simulatenous Localization and mapping algorithm (SLAM), a drone equipped with a laser scanner can create a point cloud of an ug mining opening or an opencast mining face. This can make planning and permitting processes quicker amd more efficient. e.g. - surveying of working face on a shift basis rather than 30 days basis to accurately determine advancement of face and tonnage blasted.

2. Monitoring - Pre Blast area clearing, post blast fly rocks or fumes monitoring, Haul roads traffic management, vegetation monitoring, coal Stockpile thermal monitoring, Slope monitoring, nearby waterbody monitoring, ground distrurbance or subsidence monitoring, Powerline monitoring etc.

3. Inventory measurement - Using Lidar technology or depth sensing cameras, drones can estimate stockpile inventory.

4. Aerial Photometry - Drones can help in exploration activities such as terrain assesmsmas, outcrop detection, wildlife and environment assessment, geomorphology etc.

5. Maintenance - It can access high rise areas for inspection purpose such as Drag Line boom, Chimney etc.

6. Transporter - Drones can transport spare parts from warehouse to mine sites, carry explosives, first aids, food, water etc.