Team UAV Saving The Mining Industry Thousands in GBP
Team UAV have completed a series of trials working hand in hand with Hanson Heidelberg and Midland Quarry Products developing a safe system of work to accurately quantify stockpiles using dedicated drones.
We’re not talking about small stockpiles either – were talking about stockpiles in the 100,000 cubic metre range. The video at the bottom of this blog indicates only half of one of the sites.
Since August 2015, Team UAV have been conducting monthly stockpile analysis at Midland Quarry Product’s sites. After the first UAV scouting and analysis, it was clear there were additional benefits of using drones alongside traditional survey methods than just improved stockpile accuracy.
Improved Safety
During a traditional stockpile survey, the surveyor is required to climb each and every stockpile to gain the height and coordinates at different points.
Team UAV were able to completely remove the need for a surveyor on site, negating the need to even step foot inside the high risk quarry instead, the team were able to take off safely from a vantage point overlooking the quarry.
Improved Productivity
Tradional survey methods require all quarry equipment to be stopped whilst the surveyor climbs the stockpile to determine the height and coordinates. On one of the largest sites in the UK, this can often mean that the whole quarry has to stop production at some point during the day, costing upwards of 25,000 GBP per day in some instances.
Team UAV were able to maintain productivity integrity and allow all equipment and staff to continue on task even whilst the survey was taking place.
Improved Accuracy
With traditional methods, it can often take days to have the data returned into actionable figures for the accounts department. They require the most up to date information to be able to provide accurate accounting figures for the month end. Traditional surveying methods can often mean the stockpile data is three or four days old – in that time the quarry could well have turned over another 100’000 tonnes of material. Team UAV were able to demonstrate their “live stockpile analysis” giving results as they happen, using a mixture of very bespoke technology, software and skilled operators. This meant that the accounts department had the most up to date, accurate figures available by mid day on the same day that the survey was carried out, regardless of what day the last day of the month falls on.
Improved Speed
Team UAV have taken the time it takes to gain and deliver stockpile data from a traditional 3 – 4 days to “as it happens, on the spot”. From taking off to handing over intelligent, safe and powerful data is now within 45 minutes.
The 4 months of trials are now completed and it’s time for the real intergration to start. The UAV industry is one of the fastest growing industries on the planet, if not the fastest. It’s an exciting and rewarding industry to be a part of. We’re finding new, innovative ways to improve operations, mitigate risk and offer cost effective services to improve efficiency in the daily workflow of many, many industries.
