Landscape of the mines will change on the entry of drone
In the mining industry, old and less accurate data is still a major hindrance in dealing with their day to day operations. It delays in making forecasts and managing inventory and can hold the company from moving forward in an efficient manner. The popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across industries, and particularly in mining industry, has grown immensely in recent years, with mine sites showing substantial penetration of drones across regions. The companies are also shifting towards drone technology because of numerous reasons such as improved accuracy, efficiency, safety and cost savings.
Nibrus has identified few trends influencing drone development in the mining industry.
Security & Surveillance
Land is the biggest asset of a mine and protecting it is of utmost priority for any mining industry. Also, the safety of workers has always been a concern and it is practically not possible to fit CCTV cameras at every place of the site. Drones have the ability to reach inaccessible places and provide visuals of it. Further, this raw footage could be processed and can be used to count the asset and workers at the mine site.
Surveying and Mapping
Surveying and mapping of mineral landscapes takes a lot of time with traditional methods. According to one survey, a single total station survey takes 4-5 surveyors and it can survey upto 10 Hectares in a day. By employing drones and its operator, a mine can save around 90% of the cost per hour. It can collect 10 times more data and processing of this data is merely a few hours job. Processed data contains billions of points (Latitude, Longitude And Altitude) which makes the data better interpolated and these points can later be exported in different formats.
Stockpile management
Continuous monitoring of stockpile is still an uphill task. Dynamics such as height and area of a stockpile keeps on changing regularly. Drones can enable mining companies to generate accurate elevation model of the stockpile. Further, deploying drones frequently could ensure companies consistently keep track of stockpile movement.
Haul Road Inspection
The design of a haul road can significantly affect the cost associated with hauling ore and waste to the surface. They are usually constructed with little expertise. To achieve safe and uniform transit, haul road conditions need to be constantly monitored. Drones can help by collecting a large amount of data which can be further processed into some useful information and can be used for planning, construction and maintenance activities.
Digital Project Management
Transparency is a must in any business. It makes business efficient and workforce more accountable. Nibrus provides solution which can improve transparency by sharing actionable information such as financial reports, compliance & productivity information, etc. with top decision makers working at external locations.
So we have seen that drones can play a vital role in mining operations, increasing safety & productivity and thus saving time & money. This revolutionary technology is an essential component in the realization of Industry 4.0.