MINING DRONES
another team out there to inspect the area , putting that team at risk ,” he said . “ Our idea is to send the drone or autonomous vehicle in first , look at the area and feedback on whether to send a team down for further inspection .”
He concluded : “ Whether it is with drones or ground-based vehicles , getting people out of harm ’ s way and ensuring that everyone goes home safe at the end of the day is our number one priority . Being able to do this efficiently , with greater accuracy and while giving people the tools to succeed in a more environmentally friendly way , is going to be the wave of the future .
“ At Exyn , we ’ re happy to be leading that wave .”
Skycatch maps out autonomous future
San Francisco-based Skycatch has been making waves of its own in the drone space with a range of mapping solutions tailored for mining applications but , according to Chief Technology Officer , David Chen , it thinks of itself as a “ software-first company ”.
He explained to IM : “ We are really a computer vision company , and we focus on building not only the drone solution , but the software that enables it .”
This sees the company provide data capture automation , processing , visualisation and analysis tools to the industry for efficient decision making .
Chen added : “ We work with a number of the top mining companies across the globe , providing them with unique solutions that they are using every day to complement their existing survey processes .”
The company , which has become a leader in highwall mapping through these solutions , is expanding beyond surveys into other areas .
This will be facilitated through software like its Flight1X , a cloud-based solution designed specifically for the recently launched DJI M300 drone that , Skycatch says , delivers unprecedented drone mapping accuracy and inspection automation for operations like mines . The proprietary software offers the most complete end-to-end high precision industrial drone capabilities available today , according to the company .
Flight1X comes with proven data and network security via Skycatch servers in the USA , with the Android-based flight planning application running on the M300 Smart Controller . When combined with Datahub , Skycatch ’ s cloud-based solution , the pair offer mission planning and data visualisation . Chen expanded on some of these capabilities . “ The majority of drone software out there has been focused on 2D mapping , whereas we have seen that mining , which comes with dynamic and undulating terrain , requires something different .
Flight1X delivers unprecedented drone mapping accuracy and inspection automation for operations like mines , according to Skycatch
“ What we are building is an automated mission planner where the primary view is of 3D terrain . This planner allows you to bring in existing terrain data from elsewhere or capture and process data from our own platform . The user can then rotate around this map and see the exact mission profile in 3D for improved visualisation and decision making .”
This data integration piece , which hinges on the cloud-based Flight1X platform , could provide Skycatch with an ‘ in ’ to the tailings dam
monitoring market .
“ While we ’ re already providing some survey solutions for tailings dams , the combination of high precision survey ( with cm-level precision ) for dam movements , fully automated section missions based on RGB and thermal imaging , and machine learning could provide data on dam seepage , for instance ,” Chen said .
“ We also want to integrate IoT sensors around dam movement and other areas into this cloudbased platform to provide an overall view of the tailings management facility .”
Skycatch is currently working on integrating the DJI M300 and L1 & P1 sensors – purpose built for mapping and surveying – into its offering , with Chen seeing the process as just the next stage in facilitating the autonomous mine of the future .
“ The one thing that fully autonomous mines need is a map of the mine for these autonomous machines to operate off ,” he said . “ We have a focus on making data more accurate , accessible and faster ; making it faster is the key for fully autonomous mining .
“ Right now , with the current photogrammetry process , it ’ s still : capture , process and wait a few hours for a map . To be fully autonomous , you
need that dynamic map in near real time , which is what we can offer the industry .”
Drones-as-a-Service
To gain an understanding of the breadth of applications drones can be used for in the mining sector , one would do well to glance at Delta Drone International ’ s ( DLTI ’ s ) contract award news from 2021 .
“ Advanced LiDAR ” services for Barrick Gold in Mali ; survey mapping , blast monitoring and inspection services for the Mogalakwena mine in South Africa ( through its Rocketmine subsidiary ); and air security surveillance for a multi-national miner in Africa being just some of the highlights .
The ASX-listed company ’ s hardware- and software-agnostic philosophy has been crucial in being able to supply these services and seal these agreements , according to DLTI CEO , Christopher Clark .
“ Our team selects the best tools for the job ,” he told IM . “ While drone OEM companies may lead you to believe their drone is the ‘ Swiss Army Knife ’ of the industry , the truth is these solutions don ’ t exist .”
With drone technology continuing to evolve , DLTI says its aim is to reduce customers ’ technology risk by offering a service , rather than selling them a drone .
This is where the company ’ s drones-as-aservice model comes into its own , providing economical , safety and technological benefits .
Clark explained : “ We appreciate that some companies prefer to internalise their drone operations , however , what we have established is that because operating drones is not their fulltime business , these companies rarely invest the adequate time and money to realise the true benefits of the technology .
“ What we ’ ve seen happening is many large corporates training hundreds of drone pilots , but then only providing the team with basic
“ We are seeing increased demand to use our LiDAR capability to create ‘ digital elevation models ’ that allow companies to see below thick forest and other surface vegetation and more accurately determine site suitability for certain types of infrastructure and how a site can be used ,” Delta Drone International ’ s Chris Clark says
54 International Mining | OCTOBER 2021