COMMENT
Rise of the drone
Modernisation is a word increasingly being used in the mining and quarrying circles . Long and intricate definitions and explanations about the actual meaning thereof abound . Nevertheless , whether it refers to mechanisation , automation , the internet of things , or new technologies , the fact remains that quarries and mines will be operated very differently in 10 years ’ time compared to how they are managed today . There is bound to be ample game changers and interrupters along the way . Yet , according to most futurists , the technology that will have the most significant impact on the mining and quarrying industries will probably be remotely operated equipment , 3-D printing , and civilian unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAV ), better known as drones .
Although mining companies in Africa are not yet using drones on the same scale as what operations in countries like the US and Australia are doing , a number of quarries and opencast mines in South Africa have realised the value of these machines . The benefits of using drones in quarries are numerous and they can be deployed to perform a wide variety of tasks . They can be used for ( among others ) surveying and mapping , inspections , small cargo delivery , aerial photography , and video surveillance . According to Alex Vyazmensky , group geotechnical engineer at Kaz Minerals , drones are quick to deploy and they can be launched , flown and landed by an operator , although their functionality can also be fully automated .
Vyazmensky tells Quarry Southern Africa that the use of drones has grown exponentially across all industries over the past few years . A recent PwC study estimates the potential value of the mining industry services that , in the very near future , can be replaced by drone powered solutions at USD4-billion dollars .
The biggest constraints to using drones in quarries will most likely be a fear of implementing the technology due to cost concerns , ignorance about the drones ’ capabilities , and in which applications they will best serve the operation . Even deciding which drone to use might be a challenge . Vyazmensky says a wide selection of commercially accessible drone platforms are available , which can be broadly divided into rotary and fixed wing types . For surface applications , GPS allows accurate drone positioning . Drones can be equipped with photo and video cameras , laser scanners , gas sniffers , hyperspectral , infrared , thermal and many other sensors . Major drone solution providers offer machines pre-equipped with task specific sensors and software packages to operate the drones and interpret the acquired data .
For quarry managers , the most useful application would be the use of drones to carry out airborne video surveillance and spatial data acquisition . The 3-D spatial data can be extracted from a series of digital photos taken by a drone utilising a photogrammetry technique or generated by LiDAR ( light detection and ranging ) laser scanning surveys . In addition , Vyazmensky says a recent introduction of 360 degree video cameras offers a new and promising avenue in geospatial data acquisition .
New technology like drones will become indispensable for any quarry manager in future . These machines will make life a lot easier , and in the long run the use of drones will have a significant impact on the efficiency of an operation and ultimately on the bottom line . Instead of fearing its introduction , we should be embracing the rise of the drone .
After spending the past three months visiting quarries and interacting with the industry , Robyn Grimsley will take over as editor of Quarry Southern Africa in May . n
Leon Louw - Editor Quarry SA leonl @ interactmedia . co . za
QUARRY SA | JANUARY 2017 _ 1