Mining operations often delve far beyond the reach of conventional GPS signals. These GPS-denied environments present a significant challenge: how do you accurately map and survey regions where traditional positioning systems can't operate?

Autonomous drones for 3D mapping thrive in these conditions. Unlike conventional survey tools that rely heavily on GPS, modern mining survey drones use advanced sensors and algorithms to determine their position. Here's how they're reshaping underground exploration:

LiDAR-based SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)

This technology enables drones to construct a map of their surroundings while keeping track of their current location, even without GPS. Using onboard cameras and/or LiDAR sensors, drones create detailed point clouds of the environment, allowing them to navigate and avoid obstacles autonomously.

SLAM is a computational method vital in navigating GPS-denied areas like caves. To learn more and fly along to experience autonomous 3D mapping, click here.

SLAM relies on diverse sensors to “see” its surroundings, including LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, and cameras. LiDAR-based SLAM uses a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor to “see” its environment. Here’s how that process works:

• A LiDAR sensor emits laser pulses and measures the time it takes for the laser to reflect from surrounding objects.
• The LiDAR creates a 3D point cloud map of its environment by analyzing where these points are in relation to the robot's internal measurement unit (IMU).
• ExynAI then transforms the point cloud map into a voxel grid to estimate its position, allowing it to find safe flight corridors and navigate its environment intelligently.

Exyn's algorithm delivers accurate, survey-grade 3D maps in real-time. At the same time, our SLAM pipeline enables the robot to autonomously navigate in many extreme field conditions, including GPS- and comms-denied environments with little to no light. By harnessing these technologies, mining drones provide a safe and efficient solution to the challenges of GPS-denied environments, ensuring that every corner of a mine is mapped with accuracy and detail.

Room and pillar formations are characterized by a network of excavated rooms separated by solid pillars of untouched ore. While efficient for mineral extraction, these designs present various challenges to miners. Navigating this intricate maze can be treacherous due to potential collapses, air quality issues, and uneven terrain. Moreover, ensuring the structural integrity of pillars is essential, as their weakening could jeopardize the entire mine's stability. 

Enter drone technology: these airborne marvels are tailor-made for intricate environments, and they effortlessly glide through the tightest of spaces, providing real-time, high-resolution visual data, mapping the entire room and pillar structure in detail, helping engineers assess pillar stability and detect early signs of wear or potential danger zones. By leveraging drone technology, survey teams achieve a safer and more comprehensive understanding of room and pillar configurations without the risks of manual exploration.

Inaccessible Areas

Autonomous drones effortlessly navigate through narrow passageways, deep vertical shafts, and other challenging terrains where manual exploration might pose risks or prove impossible. This ability to safely access and inspect areas that might be dangerous or inaccessible to humans enables visualization of structural dangers before operations begin. 

ExynAI allows flight beyond visual line-of-sight, wireless communications, or GPS. With Level 4 Autonomy (higher than competitive products like Hovermap), this technology can map an area equal to the size of nine football stadiums in a single flight, quickly traveling into the most intricate areas of a mine. Learn more about what this technology can do and see a flight here.

Worker safety remains paramount in the mining industry. A drone for mining will provide a new layer of protection by conducting surveillance in unstable or hazardous zones, delivering immediate data to support rapid response to emergencies. These devices are instrumental in creating a safer environment for workers by providing insights into potential risks.

Accurate measurement of stockpiles is vital for inventory control and financial reporting. Drones are equipped to measure volumes with pinpoint accuracy, replacing traditional methods that often result in errors. Automated and frequent stockpile measurements ensure that inventory data is always up-to-date and reliable.

Mine restoration is been quickly becoming more and more important in the mining industry.  As sites get decommissioned, and operations cease, it becomes crucial to return these areas to a state that’s ecologically sound and sustainable. However, the post-mining phase isn't just about reclamation; it's also about the opportunity to identify leftover resources, ensuring that literally no stone remains unturned.

Drones now deploy to map and analyze mines that have long ceased operations to identify overlooked pockets of valuable resources. By providing a comprehensive and accurate view of the mine's layout and geology, surveyors can pinpoint areas where minerals, metals, or other resources are likely still present.