MINING DRONES
Surveying the scope
The business case for employing drones and UAVs has strengthened with the onset of COVID-19 . Dan Gleeson looks into some of the latest applications for these autonomous and tele-remote robots
If a vehicle requires inspection and the situation is too dangerous to send a human engineer underground , drones and groundbased robots can carry out an autonomous video inspection to locate the problem ( photo : Rajant )
The emergence of drones and unmanned autonomous vehicles ( UAVs ) in the mining space is part of a much broader movement to remove personnel from the most hazardous areas of operations .
Whether it is autonomous haulage , loading or refuelling , the ability for machines to carry out manual tasks without operator involvement is improving productivity , safety and – in many cases – profitability .
The fully autonomous mine of the future will require UAVs and ground-based drones to carry out all inspections currently conducted by operating personnel ; for example , inspecting the stability of drives or troubleshooting faulty equipment .
The industry is already heading to this destination , but solid and stable networks will be required for a drone / UAV to carry out these tasks . This is where Rajant Corporation ’ s Kinetic
Mesh ® could lend a hand .
Rajant Kinetic Mesh removes the problem of handoffs and communication gaps with inferior or access point-based networks , providing a level of flexibility and range that is “ breathing life into robotics ”, enabling ground robots and aerial drones to take on the dirty , dull , and dangerous jobs that can make mining safer and more efficient , Chris Mason , Vice President of Sales for EMEA at Rajant , says .
This means it is no longer necessary for people to lead the way into a risky situation , Mason explains .
“ For example , high-mobility robots can be used where the ground is unstable or has been without support for some time ,” he said . “ They can carry sophisticated sensors , undertake laser surveys and send back real-time high-definition video following a seismic event or where gas is thought to be present . Personnel are thereby safeguarded to view and respond to this information remotely .”
Wheeled autonomous vehicles are even becoming a basic part of a mechanic ’ s toolkit alongside the spanner and the engine analyser , according to Mason .
If a vehicle requires inspection and the situation is too dangerous to send a human engineer underground , these vehicles can carry out an autonomous video inspection to locate the problem . The imagery can even be sent to remotely-located technicians , or to the machine manufacturers for expert assessment .
A basic network can enable such connected functionality when the problem is near the surface or there is a ‘ line of sight ’ to the area in question . When there is a need to delve deeper , travel further , circumvent an obstacle , or operate more than one autonomous system , a more sophisticated network is required , according to Mason .
“ Operating even a single ground or airborne drone requires seamless connectivity . When a drone or UAV loses contact with the network , it stops operating and the critical data being transmitted ceases to flow ,” he explains .
Dynamic mesh networks create a situation where the vehicles effectively act as ‘ the network ’. In its simplest form , when a drone sending back a feed of live video while carrying out a safety inspection reaches the end of its range , a second drone can be sent to join it . Because the two drones can connect to each other , the range of the search is effectively doubled .
With Rajant Kinetic Mesh , this is just the beginning of such network flexibility , according to Mason .
“ Because each Rajant-enabled drone carries its own BreadCrumb ® node , every additional drone you add to the inspection automatically and seamlessly becomes part of the network – sending and receiving information to and from other drones and back to the base station or control centre ,” Mason says . “ The Kinetic Mesh architecture allows expansion and strengthening of the network without cumbersome infrastructure to deliver unfailing connectivity easily .”
Mason concluded : “ Autonomous and remote vehicles are transforming the mining sector , but they can only ever be as good as the network that connects them .”
18 International Mining | OCTOBER 2020