The Norilsk Nickel Company plans to make an unmanned aerial vehicle, which could move independently inside mines, the company’s representative Levon Kirakosyan told reporters from Russia’s TASS news agency during an IT show. “We have tried using a drone under the ground without GPS communication…we have recorded test videos, and now we understand certain aspects of controlling a drone under the ground,” he said.

“Our final objective is to make a drone, which may move independently under the ground, not requiring an operator – you come, put it next to the mine’s entrance, it flies down there, inspects it fully, returns and lands – that’s it, and we receive a recorded video and the mine’s 3D model.” This technology, he explained, will improve security – for now, a person has to go down the mine to do this type of inspection. Head of the Industrial Automation Department at Nornickel’s Polar Division Vadim Naftal said the company had tested in the mine’s remote areas at the Kayerkansky mine. “The results are very good…the potential is obvious.”