Be first to read the latest tech news, Industry Leader's Insights, and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Applied Technology Review
How can Drones Improve Efficiency in Mining Applications?
While environmental, cybersecurity, and regulatory barriers prevent widespread drone usage in the mining industry, benefits such as worker safety, increased productivity, long-term cost savings, and real-time data analysis indicate that drones are making inroads.
By
Applied Technology Review | Friday, April 04, 2025
Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on
the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your
inbox. Subscribe today.
Fremont, CA: Drones are an emerging technology in various industries, including the military, law enforcement, rescue operations, entertainment, and mining. This essay will address the issues that the mining industry faces as the use of drones grows.
Data Processing and Analysis
The modern mine is a data-intensive industrial ecosystem. Millions of data points are generated during everyday operations, ranging from weather and ambient conditions to asset mobility, geography, geology, and other elements specific to particular working settings.
Drones must consequently be capable of collecting, processing, and analyzing data utilizing powerful software and analytical tools. Furthermore, central data processing hubs, to which drones transmit information in real-time, must be robust and capable of efficiently analyzing the data collected in mines.
Safety and Security
Drones can pose a risk if not appropriately operated by trained workers. They may endanger air traffic and personnel in underground mines' restricted confines. Sensors, cameras, and GPS positioning can reduce collision chances while adhering to local rules can prevent more significant difficulties.
Security is another major worry in the drone industry as a whole. If strong security protocols are not in place, drones can be hacked and hijacked. This can result in the loss of sensitive data and, in the worst-case scenario, a backdoor into crucial systems, disrupting mining efforts and posing a threat to life.
The importance of cybersecurity has grown to the point where the US government restricted the export of drones by a significant manufacturer last year, citing concerns about national security and foreign policy. Concerns concerning GPS spoofing, downlink intercepts, and data mining are fast increasing in the drone industry.
Technical Limitations of Drones
Despite breakthroughs in sensor technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other critical components of current drones, several technical limits remain.
Flight time, range, cargo capacity, and battery life can all impact the effectiveness of mining drones. Furthermore, integrating drones with other devices and legacy systems might take much work. However, technological progress can overcome these obstacles.
For example, hybrid power systems may overcome battery restrictions, which makes them more appealing to mining businesses. Innovation, like any other technology, produces increasingly sophisticated drone systems that can be used for mission-critical tasks.