The mining industry has seen a significant surge in the adoption of drone technology in recent years. Drones have proven their versatility with a wide array of applications, including exploration, surveying, mapping, safety maintenance, and security enhancement. The gradual shift from traditional surveys to drone-based surveys can be attributed to the advantages of using drones:
- Higher Spatial Resolution and Cloud-Free Images: Drones fly at lower altitudes, capturing high-resolution, cloud-free images.
- Choice of Captures and Outputs: Drones can capture data in various formats, including RGB, multispectral, LIDAR, and video.
- On-Demand Capture for Situational Awareness: Drones provide real-time surveillance and monitoring through live video streaming.
- Site-Specific Data Collection: Focused data collection enhances data utility and reduces redundant coverage.
- High Accuracy Data: Fine-scale Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) ensures high-accuracy data.
- Enhanced Outputs: Drones can generate orthophotos, Digital Elevation Models (DEM), Digital Terrain Models (DTM), bare earth models, volume estimations, and change detection maps.
These advantages also lead to a higher demand for computing and storage capabilities because of the large data volumes involved. Furthermore, the remote and scattered locations of mining areas necessitate careful planning to ensure effective data capture.
Asteria Aerospace Limited: Leading the Way
Asteria Aerospace Limited, India’s leading full-stack drone technology company, offers a unique combined solution. This includes DCGA type certified drones for mapping and surveillance, an end-to-end drone data management platform, SkyDeck built on India-hosted, MEITY-certified cloud infrastructure, and support from a team of DGCA-certified pilots.
DCGA Type Certified Drone: A200-XT for Advanced Mapping & Surveillance
The A200-XT is designed to meet the rigorous demands of the mining sector. It features:
- Versatile and Multi-functional: The A200-XT drone is designed for various applications with its quick-connect swappable payloads, allowing seamless configuration for day or night surveillance, inspections, or mapping missions.
- Compact and Portable: Weighing just 2.6 kg, the A200-XT is packed with features while maintaining a lightweight profile. It comes with an ergonomic backpack that includes all accessories needed for a full day of flight operations, making it exceptionally portable.
- Rapid Deployment: With tool-less assembly, the A200-XT can be ready for flight in under five minutes, enabling rapid response for urgent situations.
- User-Friendly Operation: Asteria Mission Control simplifies piloting the A200-XT. The system offers point-and-click mission planning, full payload control, and video management features like snapshot and record/playback, unlocking the drone's full potential.
- Comprehensive Safety Features: The A200-XT ensures safe operations with omni-directional obstacle detection and avoidance. It includes dual GPS sensors for redundancy and built-in features such as geofencing, quick return to launch, and failsafe modes for communication loss, low battery, and high winds.
- Advanced Surveillance and Inspection: The A200-XT features a 10x optical zoom daytime camera, capable of 1080p high-resolution video with 360-degree pan. A three-axis gimbal stabilization and passive vibration damping ensure smooth and stable video at all zoom levels. The camera includes target tracking, maintaining focus on stationary or moving objects.
- Enhanced Night Vision: The A200-XT is equipped with a 320 x 240 resolution long-wave infrared thermal camera for nighttime operations, featuring 360-degree pan and 4x digital zoom. The three-axis gimbal stabilization and passive vibration damping ensure clear and stable video. The thermal camera also has target tracking to stay locked onto targets without constant control.
Applications of Asteria Drones in Mining
- Mine Mapping: Effectively map mine areas using RGB or multispectral cameras. Generate orthophotos, DEMs, and DTMs to derive contours and visualizations.
- Mine Monitoring: Monitor afforestation and slope stabilization activities with temporal captures. Compare time-lapsed data to detect ground changes.
- Surveillance: Enhance security with day and night surveillance of mining areas, core and buffer zones, and dumping areas. Live stream data to a central control room or store and playback videos for situational awareness. Utilize AI/ML capabilities to identify people, vehicles, etc.
- Incident Response: Deploy Asteria drones in less than 10 minutes for rapid incident response, providing a 'first responder' view of events.
- PAP Project Monitoring: Use drone captures to plan and monitor local development activities for project-affected people. Create temporal repositories of project progress and implementation milestones.
SkyDeck: The Ultimate Cloud Platform for Drone Data Management
SkyDeck is a unified cloud-based Software-as-a-Service platform for end-to-end drone fleet management, scheduling and executing drone flights, data processing, and visualization, AI-based analysis and reporting of aerial data captured using drones. SkyDeck ensures operational transparency, improves collaboration between stakeholders, and provides secure and centralized management for scaling drone programs across multiple applications.
SkyDeck Capabilities
Planning and Capture
SkyDeck simplifies the planning and capture process with its intuitive interface. Users can:
- Plan Missions: Define flight paths and parameters to ensure comprehensive coverage of the area of interest.
- Automated Capture: Schedule and execute drone flights automatically, reducing the need for manual intervention.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Monitor flight progress and data capture in real-time, ensuring mission objectives are met.
Data Visualization
- Dynamic 2D/3D Visualization: Experience seamless data exploration with SkyDeck's powerful 2D and 3D visualization tools, enabling comprehensive analysis from every angle.
- Interactive Data Engagement: Engage with your data like never before by interacting directly with visual elements, enhancing your ability to analyze and draw insights.
Figure 1: Orthomosaic on SkyDeck
Figure 2: Digital Terrain Model on SkyDeck
Figure 3: Orthomosaic with Vector on SkyDeck
Figure 4: 3D View on SkyDeck
Data Processing and Analysis
SkyDeck provides robust tools for data processing and analysis:
- Automated Processing Pipelines: Automatically process captured data to generate high-quality outputs such as orthomosaics, DEMs, and DTMs.
- Advanced Analytics: Utilize built-in analytics tools to derive actionable insights from the data. This includes vegetation indices, volume calculations, and change detection.
- AI-Based Analysis: Leverage AI/ML models to interpret data and extract valuable information, enhancing decision-making processes.
Data Reporting:
SkyDeck offers robust data reporting features that streamline the entire reporting process.
- Comprehensive analysis from flights to findings: From the initial flight to data capture and processing, the platform provides in-depth insights and actionable findings. This end-to-end analysis helps in understanding trends and identifying issues.
- Empowering team with instant reports, fostering quick decisions: SkyDeck empowers your team by providing instant access to comprehensive reports, allowing your team to respond promptly to any issues or opportunities.
Enhancing Operational Efficiency in Mining
By leveraging SkyDeck and Asteria's drones, mining operations can significantly enhance their efficiency and accuracy. The combined solution offers:
- Reduced Operational Costs: Automated workflows and efficient data processing reduce the need for manual labor and associated costs.
- Improved Decision-Making: High-quality data and advanced analytics provide valuable insights, enabling informed decision-making.
- Enhanced Safety: Real-time surveillance and monitoring improve situational awareness, enhancing safety for personnel and assets.
Drone technology is transforming the mining sector, providing unparalleled advantages over traditional survey methods. Asteria Aerospace Limited, with its DCGA-certified drones and the SkyDeck cloud platform, offers a comprehensive solution that addresses the unique challenges of mining operations. By adopting these cutting-edge technologies, mining companies can optimize their workflows, improve data accuracy, and achieve greater operational efficiency.
