Mine management from above

In the March 2023 edition of Global Mining Review, AgEagle’s Christopher Thomson examines how fixed-wing drones can be used as a multi-purpose tool to optimise mine management and safety.

Ensuring the safety of people, profits, and the planet has always been a crucial concern in Mining. With the World Economic Forum citing a ‘trust deficit’ as one of the biggest challenges facing the mining industry today, the focus is now being placed on how organisations can improve their operations, and ultimately regain and maintain employee, community, and investor confidence.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are multi-purpose tools that can help optimise mine management and operations. Drones are established tools for surveying, monitoring, and managing mine sites. Global survey data shows that 65% of mining sites have invested in drone technology – an increase of over 20% since 2018.

Despite their broad acceptance by companies as an asset to operations, the on-site use of drones remains highly varied. Over 80% of mining operators said they use drones in their surveying and mapping activities, with only half of these respondents using drones to improve safety, and only a third to support tailings dam monitoring.

Contractors and managers could benefit a lot more from exploring the true potential of full-stack UAV technology to optimise operations, from inspecting inaccessible areas to improving water management strategies.

Read the full article on p56 of Global Mining Review: March 2023 Volume 6 Issue 2