Tag Archives: UAVs

Exyn Technologies out for further AI-backed drone growth with latest financing

Automation, IoT, Mine surveying, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , ,

Exyn Technologies has announced a successful $35 million Series B round of funding that will, it says, help it grow and diversify its sales, marketing and product teams to support continued worldwide expansion and movement into new industries and applications.

The lead investor, Reliance Industries, is a multinational corporation and India’s largest company headquartered in Mumbai. It has diverse businesses, including energy, petrochemicals, natural gas, retail, telecommunications, mass media and textiles.

Exyn says it will use this relationship and investment to break into the Indian market, expand its global footprint into Latin America, Australia and Africa, and bring exposure to its future business verticals.

“We are thrilled to have Reliance Industries backing Exyn,” Nader Elm, CEO of Exyn Technologies, said. “With the extra funding, we hope to expand our worldwide footprint further to improve safety by keeping those in these dangerous fields around the world out of harm’s way.”

Exyn calls itself a pioneer in artificial intelligence-backed technology, having commercialised the highest level of aerial drone autonomy in the world, Autonomy Level 4 (AL4.) Exyn’s robots can autonomously navigate previously inaccessible environments without a prior map, existing infrastructure (GPS, communications, etc), or an operator in the loop, according to the company.

“AL4, the highest level of aerial autonomy in the market, has been a key differentiator in the mining industry,” Elm said. “The application of our fully autonomous robots is expansive. With this investment and partnership, we look forward to transforming dangerous, physical data collection into a safer and more efficient workflow that can unlock further operational effectiveness and efficiency for our customers. ”

Flight Safety Foundation helping miners assess drone risks

Automation, Mine surveying, Mining industry recognition, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , ,

Flight Safety Foundation’s Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) Program, working in collaboration with some of the world’s largest mining and resource companies, has developed the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Audit and Registration Program to, it says, provide the industry with a more efficient means of monitoring, assessing, and analysing risks associated with RPAS.

With airspace more accessible than ever and RPAS technology outpacing many legal and safety frameworks, there is an urgent need for greater oversight of RPAS operations to ensure the safety of those living and working around them, Flight Safety Foundation said.

The RPAS Audit and Registration Program will help businesses manage RPAS risks more efficiently and effectively through a variety of measures, including detailed reporting of events and information sharing.

Flight Safety Foundation, meanwhile, is an independent, international and impartial non-profit that exists to champion the cause of aviation safety, it says. The foundation established the BARS Program in 2010 to review aviation operators providing aviation services to the resources and other sectors.

“An RPAS Audit using registered BARS Audit Companies and accredited RPAS Auditors provides evaluation of operations and technical management systems of an RPAS operator,” it said. “It is a comprehensive audit with the objective of clearly articulating and verifying what procedures, processes and systems the RPAS operator has in place to mitigate risk.”

David Anderson, BARS Program Director, said RPAS are critical to business operations for a range of sectors and used within a multitude of operations enabling data collection, enhancing security, and improving productivity.

“However, with new technology comes new risks, and RPAS-related accidents and incidents can result in expensive damage to property and infrastructure, as well as injuries and even fatalities,” he said.

As part of the program, a global data analysis program will record knowledge and intelligence on the hazards and risks associated with the use of RPAS vehicles. This information will be used to ensure the appropriate controls within the audit standard are in place, updated and effective.

Dr Hassan Shahidi, President and CEO of the Foundation, said: “Enabling organisations to more effectively mitigate risk is critical to continually improving the safety and reliability of their RPAS operations. In addition, the adoption of a global standard should result in a broad safety improvement across the sector.”

Anderson added: “The BARS Program is proud to be a part of this ongoing investment in improving safety within the contracted aviation industry.”

Sandvik, Exyn combine capabilities in new autonomous mine inspection concept

Automation, IoT, Mine surveying, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions and Exyn Technologies have furthered their strategic partnership looking at new horizons of mine autonomy with the introduction of the Sandvik Exyn inspection concept.

An autonomous mapping solution that can co-operate with autonomous machines without stopping production, according to Jussi Puura, Research and Technology Development, Digitalization Lead at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, the pair launched the concept at MINExpo 2021, in Las Vegas, today.

Back in March, the companies expanded the strategic partnership they initially signed in 2020, looking to integrate drone-based data processed using Exyn’s on-board 3D mapping technology with Sandvik’s OptiMine® Mine Visualizer solution for analysis and optimisation of underground mining production and processes.

The integration, the pair said, allows mining customers to benefit from comprehensive underground aerial 3D mapping with visualisation that increases overall transparency of mining operations – including for GPS-denied, hard-to-reach, or hazardous areas, or locations that would be time-consuming to survey and inspect using conventional methods.

Exyn and Sandvik deployed this integrated solution at gold exploration and development company Rupert Resources’ Pahtavaara project in Finland, using the ExynAero drone to autonomously create a 3D point cloud of an underground stope. This 3D data was then uploaded to Sandvik’s OptiMine Mine Visualizer and georeferenced to the CAD mine model for further analysis and visualisation.

The companies said back then that it planned to further develop the partnership to integrate more hardware and software systems, and they have now done just that, premiering the new concept at this week’s MINExpo.

The concept works by an operator indicating the area they want surveyed on the OptiMine 3D visual screens, and then ordering that survey. The ground-based machine then starts the assigned mission at a time that is convenient and does not cause any production interruptions.

After deployment and when the wheeled inspection vehicle cannot drive any further, the on-board autonomous UAV is deployed to complete the survey of the area of interest.

When the survey mission is complete, the UAV lands on the ground-based robot and both return to the charging station to await the next mission. The data from both vehicles is then automatically uploaded to the Sandvik Data Management Server, part of the OptiMine suite.

The server processes all data automatically and georeferences it to existing data in the server, using the survey team’s data as ‘anchors’ and ‘ground rules’ for the new data. The data is automatically merged into an updated model of the mine.

In addition to merging and ‘cleaning’ the data, the system can be set up to run automated analysis on the data. For example, automatic reports on change detection, shrinkage detection, road condition, etc can be run after every survey.

The solution results in better planning, increased safety and less production stops, according to the companies.

Skycatch maps out autonomous mining future with DJI M300 mapping, analytics solution

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mine surveying, Mining events, Mining services, Mining software, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

San Francisco-based Skycatch has been making waves in the drone space with a range of mapping solutions tailored for mining applications but, according to Chief Technology Officer, David Chen, it thinks of itself as a “software-first company”.

He explained to IM: “We are really a computer vision company, and we focus on building not only the drone solution, but the software that enables it.”

This sees the company provide data capture automation, processing, visualisation and analysis tools to the industry for efficient decision making.

Chen added: “We work with a number of the top mining companies across the globe, providing them with unique solutions that they are using every day to complement their existing survey processes.”

The company, which has become a leader in highwall mapping through these solutions, is expanding beyond surveys into other areas.

This will be facilitated through software like its Flight1X, a cloud-based solution designed specifically for the recently launched DJI M300 drone that, Skycatch says, delivers unprecedented drone mapping accuracy and inspection automation for operations like mines. The proprietary software offers the most complete end-to-end high precision industrial drone capabilities available today, according to the company.

Flight1X, launched at MINExpo 2021 today, comes with proven data and network security via Skycatch servers in the USA, with the Android-based flight planning application running on the M300 Smart Controller. When combined with Datahub, Skycatch’s cloud-based solution, the pair offer mission planning and data visualisation.

Chen expanded on some of these capabilities.

“The majority of drone software out there has been focused on 2D mapping, whereas we have seen that mining, which comes with dynamic and undulating terrain, requires something different.

“What we are building is an automated mission planner where the primary view is of 3D terrain. This planner allows you to bring in existing terrain data from elsewhere or capture and process data from our own platform. The user can then rotate around this map and see the exact mission profile in 3D for improved visualisation and decision making.”

This data integration piece, which hinges on the cloud-based Flight1X platform, could provide Skycatch with an ‘in’ to the tailings dam monitoring market.

“While we’re already providing some survey solutions for tailings dams, the combination of high precision survey (with cm-level precision) for dam movements, fully automated section missions based on RGB and thermal imaging, and machine learning could provide data on dam seepage, for instance,” Chen said.

“We also want to integrate IoT sensors around dam movement and other areas into this cloud-based platform to provide an overall view of the tailings management facility.”

Skycatch is currently working on integrating the DJI M300 and L1 & P1 sensors – purpose built for mapping and surveying – into its offering, with Chen seeing the process as just the next stage in facilitating the autonomous mine of the future.

“The one thing that fully autonomous mines need is a map of the mine for these autonomous machines to operate off,” he said. “We have a focus on making data more accurate, accessible and faster; making it faster is the key for fully autonomous mining.

“Right now, with the current photogrammetry process, it’s still: capture, process and wait a few hours for a map. To be fully autonomous, you need that dynamic map in near real time, which is what we can offer the industry.”

Delta Drone to fly UAV-based LiDAR units at Newmont’s Ahafo gold mine

IoT, Mine operation news, Mine surveying, Mining services, Mining software, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Global drones-as-a-service provider Delta Drone International says it has been re-appointed by Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd, a subsidiary Newmont in Ghana, for a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) project on its Ahafo mine.

Delta Drone International will provide a drone-based LiDAR solution to create an accurate 3D model of the earth and its surface characteristics to map new areas for the mine and mitigate potential risks prior to mine expansion construction commencing, the company says.

Delta Drone International CEO, Christopher Clark, said: “To continue working with Newmont Corporation, one of the world’s leading enterprise gold mining companies, who is using advanced drone techniques for several types of project applications, is a testament to our specialist expertise and drones-as-a-service model.”

He added: “Using the latest in drone LiDAR technology, we can fly with this sensor in a fixed-wing drone, allowing us to map new areas and essentially compete with manned LiDAR, but at a lower price point.

“We are seeing increased demand to use our LiDAR capability to create ‘digital elevation models’ that allows companies to see below thick forest and other surface vegetation and more accurately determine site suitability for certain types of infrastructure and how a site can be used.”

Bentley’s cloud-based tech aids AAEngineering in Altynalmas gold plant design

Automation, Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining services, Mining software, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

AAEngineering Group, utilising Bentley Systems’ cloud-based technology, has helped Altynalmas come up with a new vision for a gold processing plant in Kazakhstan.

When drilling and geological studies revealed the presence of gold ores in the surrounding Akmola region, gold producer Altynalmas invested in expanding resource extraction operations, announcing a tender to increase annual ore processing production up to 5 Mt.

The $230 million project included construction of a new gold processing plant, a dam, accommodation camp for 600 people, water pipelines, and a 220 kV electrical substation.

AAEngineering Group was tasked with overall design, procurement, and construction works that required upgrading existing energy and mining infrastructure, ensuring environmental protection and occupational safety, and determining an optimal construction site that mandated a 1,000 m sanitary protection zone from adjacent pits and uranium dams. The new plant also needed to be interoperable with the existing processing facilities in terms of equipment and materials, as well as seamlessly integrate with the operating systems.

Additionally, AAEngineering faced challenges meeting the technology demands to comply with the client’s “Digital Mine initiative” on a tight timeline, compounded by coordinating a remote team during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company wanted to offer several conceptual models to the client for Altynalmas to visualise the infrastructure design options and make the best decision for implementing the project.

“We needed to issue several versions of the project according to their technical inquiry,” Andrey Aksyonov, Director of the Information Modelling department at AAEngineering. This situation required updating the existing plant information model, creating a digital terrain model, and incorporating components from the database of equipment and materials to provide accurate visual options for the client.

Once the client decided on the optimal design concept and selected the location for the new plant, AAEngineering moved to the detailed design stage and proposed simultaneously executing design and construction works to reduce construction time and meet the short, 22-month deadline. It also sought provide seamless integration with existing facility assets and operations using digital twins.

To develop its conceptual solutions, concurrently perform design and construction, and achieve digital deliverables aligned with the client’s smart mining initiatives, AAEngineering required integrated BIM and digital twin technology. Furthermore, given the COVID-19 global pandemic quarantine, it needed to establish a connected data environment to remotely coordinate design and construction.

Beginning early in the conceptual modelling stage, AAEngineering established a collaborative design platform using Bentley Systems’ ProjectWise to provide a connected data exchange system for all contractors and the client. It used laser scanning and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to survey the existing facilities and the new construction site, processing the captured images with ContextCapture.

“From the survey data, they assessed earthworks and generated a digital terrain model in OpenRoads,” Bentley said. “Then, using OpenPlant, they digitised existing and new pipeline layouts and equipment connections to develop several conceptual 3D models for the client.”

Aksyonov explained: “Using the survey data in ContextCapture, we built a digital terrain model, and all this was transferred to the site layout plant to generate preliminary specifications with an assessment of earthworks.”

The client used the models to determine the optimal design concept and approve the plant location, equipment and piping scheme.

Based on the client’s specifications, AAEngineering used various software applications to assemble the pipeline and structural models, along with the accommodation camp. It then integrated these models with the general plant model in OpenBuildings Designer.

“Aligned with their proposal to perform design and construction simultaneously, AAEngineering used ContextCapture to process weekly UAV-captured images into reality meshes and synchronised the models with SYNCHRO 4D for construction simulation and scheduling,” Bentley said. “Incorporating LumenRT and iTwin Services facilitated visual clash detection and provided the cloud-based platform to establish a digital twin.”

Using Bentley’s digital twin technology, the company synced the model with iTwin for the best understanding, for visualisation of changes, and for making the right decisions on the project, Aksyonov said. These open applications helped maintain project control and stay on schedule throughout quarantine, the company said.

“Using Bentley technology during the conceptual phase resulted in a well-developed visual bid for the project, providing the client with a full understanding of the design right from the start and winning AAEngineering the contract,” Bentley said. “Throughout project execution, the integrated modelling applications and digital twin solution streamlined workflows and facilitated concurrent design and construction that reduced construction costs and allowed plant commissioning to be ahead of schedule.”

Working in a collaborative digital environment and updating the development model with UAV surveys saved 30% in design time and cut travel expenses by 75%, according to Bentley. This also optimised remote coordination and construction management during the COVID-19 quarantine. Accurate modelling and visualisation reduced material quantities by 15% and eliminated clashes during construction, it added.

“Lastly, using the digital twin, the client was able to train operations staff prior to plant commissioning,” Bentley said. “In addition, the digital twin enabled seamless integration with the client’s operating system in accordance with their digital mine initiative to support intelligent mining processes and management, promoting automation and digitalisation that are transforming the mining industry.”

For AAEngineering, implementing the use of digital twin technology on this project provided economic efficiencies and has instilled new corporate processes, making advanced digital practices a company standard, according to Bentley.

Aksyonov concluded: “To sum it all up, Bentley Systems enabled us to improve our own design, construction, and operations solutions.”

Blast Movement Technologies bolsters post-blast data acquisition with FED 2.0

Automation, Explosives and blasting, IoT, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Blast Movement Technologies, part of Hexagon, has released a new flight enabled detector to safely and expediently retrieve post-blast location data.

FED 2.0 is a specially fitted UAV that comes with improved detection depths of up to 12 m. By adhering to strict ‘stand-off’ guidelines, it enables the swift retrieval of BMM (Blast Movement Monitor) location data, post blast, without the need to walk the muckpile, according to BMT.

BMT released its first UAV detector in November 2019, establishing an alternate, semi-automated solution to retrieve BMM sensor data.

Like its predecessor, FED 2.0 is based on the DJI Matrice M600Pro flying platform, but now features an automated Winch mechanism to lower the detector closer to the surface and away from the main UAV body. This not only ensures greater detection depths but also lessens the interference from the motor and blades, according to BMT.

The Winch was developed in partnership with Australia-based, unmanned systems specialist, Insitu Pacific, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company. Insitu ensured the new winch technology worked seamlessly with the existing FED ground control software, as well as introducing several other user experience improvements, BMT said.

FED 2.0 features an automated flight control and customisable flight plan. It has a built-in GNSS receiver to enhance positioning information and a vertical and horizontal collision detection system. It can also resume the mission after low battery replacement from the point where it was suspended. The on-board computer allows for immediate processing of incoming data, ensuring access to the movement data while resolving safety and environmental considerations.

BMT CEO, Jacques Janse, said: “With many mines focused on recovering more ore quickly and safely, our FED 2.0 continues our journey towards an autonomous future. This safety aspect, along with the increased detection depths, opens up the ability to use our BMM system in more mines.”

RIEGL expands laser measurement services with new UK office

IoT, Mine surveying, Mining services, , , ,

RIEGL now has direct representation throughout the UK and Ireland with its new office in York, England, offering support to its existing RIEGL customers and access to the full range of RIEGL products.

RIEGL UK Ltd will have a primary focus on the terrestrial and UAV sectors, while providing initial point of contact for airborne and mobile products into various industries in the market, the laser measurement system company said.

The new RIEGL UK office is helmed by David Foster, who serves as the Managing Director of the organisation, alongside Bernhard Kurzbauer, who is Commercial Director.

Foster said: “The laser scanning market in this region has grown from strength to strength in recent years. With a highly respected and extremely professional forensic investigations sector, including a large number of Forensic Collision Investigations Units across the country, it made perfect sense to be able to support this sector directly.

“Additionally, there has been a large increase in research of earth sciences, carbon capture and other green applications drawing on RIEGL’s unique waveform capabilities across all products, with a great many educational establishments utilising RIEGL products. And, of course, not forgetting the growth in infrastructure development and construction, spatial data consumption has never been greater.”

Johannes Riegl Jr, President of RIEGL International, the RIEGL division responsible for worldwide expansion of the RIEGL group, said: “We are very excited to further increase our dedicated RIEGL presence by opening our new office in the UK. I offer congratulations and all the best to Dave Foster for his new responsibility and for growing RIEGL in the UK and Ireland to new levels.”

The new subsidiary is joining the existing network of RIEGL offices in Austria (headquarters), the US, Japan, China, Australia, and Canada as well as numerous worldwide distributors.

Exyn Technologies gains Australia mining market exposure with C.R. Kennedy pact

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mine surveying, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , ,

Exyn Technologies, a pioneer in autonomous aerial robot systems for complex, GPS-denied industrial environments, has announced Australia company C.R. Kennedy as its first international distributor.

C.R Kennedy is one of the largest providers of survey equipment for mining and government needs in Australia, Exyn says.

The ExynAero (formerly the Exyn A3R), an autonomous and self-piloting aerial drone, was the product that helped open the door to the relationship, according to Exyn.

Clinton Harn, Head of Marketing at C.R. Kennedy, said: “When discussing with our surveying customers, the real need was a product that would map and navigate their underground caverns, much like what they saw in the blockbuster movie ‘Prometheus’.

“The ability to make science fiction a reality is very appealing, inspiring, and, most importantly, possible – that much was clear after Exyn first demoed their product to us.”

Nader Elm, CEO of Exyn Technologies, said: “We’re excited to be expanding into the Australian market with this relationship with C.R. Kennedy to help a whole new set of customers. The opportunity to continue to advance the technology in the mining sector with this new market is important for the continued evolution of mining and our business.”

In one of its earliest use cases, Exyn flew to Bulgaria to assist Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) in mapping its underground gold mine.

Current CMS would have required hours of setup to map a single stope, according to Exyn. “Equipped with Exyn’s then-A3R, however, DPM surveyors were able to map six stopes over the course of circa-three days, logging 123 flights in total, capturing accurate, high-fidelity data sets ready to be loaded into DPM’s mining software,” the company said.

Exyn Technologies expands mapping reach with two new products

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , ,

Exyn Technologies has announced two new products to expand its ability to collect data from challenging and previously-unmappable environments, and enable customers to have better solutions.

The ExynAero (pictured) is the latest aerial robot and an upgrade from the previous generation’s A3R™. Fully autonomous, the ExynAero allows for mapping of any environment (including GPS-denied, human-inaccessible, industrial environments without a pilot), keeping employees safe and maximising beyond-line-of-sight-and-communications data collection, the company says.

This new technology builds on Exyn’s previous iterations based on its ExynAI software, which can mesh multiple data streams in real time. The ExynAero is also able to leverage various sensors and platforms that can be merged together via automated software to build a robust and complete map of an environment in real time, even with multiple units running simultaneously, the company says.

Its features include robust 270° view, providing detailed in-depth visuals of stopes in full HD colour, super-bright lighting and LiDAR to provide top acuity, shooting over 300,000 beams per second for highly accurate visualisations. The agile navigation and flight stack improve the ExynAero’s stability and robustness in tight spaces, and the ExynAero can easily transfer data to teams who can analyse it, Exyn says.

Nader Elm, CEO Exyn Technologies, said: “The ExynAero represents the future of data collection across a number of applications and industrial environments. The product is the first of its kind to offer true aerial autonomy.”

The ExynAero can fly itself in the most challenging and unknown environments, collect the data, and merge the streams with ExynAI on board, according to Elm. This allows for maximum data collection and a “radical improvement” in safety for workers around the world who are placed in difficult and sometimes potentially dangerous conditions, he said.

“We’re hoping with the launch of this product, and the additional modalities offered by the ExynPak, that our customers will be able to collect the data they need easily, regardless of limitations,” he said. “The benefits of this will lea

d to not only significantly greater worker safety, but also considerably improved productivity and efficiency.”

The ExynPak (left), meanwhile, provides a new portable format that enables users to unstrap the autonomy features of the ExynAero and capture data with the built-in tools via other modalities – such as hand carry or vehicle mount – for situations where complete autonomy is not needed or practical.

Exyn’s autonomous aerial robot systems are most commonly used for industrial applications such as mining, construction, nuclear power, and military surveillance/reconnaissance. The ExynPak will allow for an expansion of the potential uses of Exyn’s core technology applications and environments to existing infrastructure or transportation modes that don’t require an aerial or autonomous component, the company said.

The Exyn team plans to continue to develop new products that help support mapping and data collection regardless of format, with more products coming out in 2021, it said.