Autonomous UAV Collision Detection
Mining is an industry made up of extremes. Hazardous physical environments, risky working conditions, cavernous depths and high reward. In 2024, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) reported 42 worker deaths, an increase from previous years.
Of the 42 deaths, which were recorded from ICMM’s 24 member companies, nearly half of them occurred underground, where lack of visibility and understanding of the pathways and rooms beneath the Earth’s surface could have contributed to the danger.
One of the most common organisational factors responsible for fatality incidents was failed risk management. Risk management involves identifying, assessing and controlling hazards to reduce the likelihood of incidents, with an emphasis on early identification and continuous monitoring.
Traditionally, early identification and continuous monitoring of hazards have been difficult to execute thoroughly, in large part due to the inaccessible nature of unexplored mining areas. However, as technology has evolved, mines can now be mapped and monitored remotely, removing workers from potential hazards.
Meet Emesent
Australian engineering company Emesent is leading the charge on flexible, low-risk monitoring solutions with its autonomous SLAM-based LiDAR mapping system Hovermap.
Emesent’s cofounders, Dr Stefan Hrabar and Dr Farid Kendoul, are former researchers in the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Group within CSIRO’s Data61. Their expertise in robotics, autonomy, AI, machine learning, research and data analytics helped them to found Emesent and create its Hovermap technology.
“Hovermap combines LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanning with SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) technology to create detailed 3D maps in GPS-denied environments,” explains Hrabar.
How can Hovermap help?
Enabling quick and accurate volumetrics helps industry players to achieve improved awareness of ground and structural conditions, particularly in unstable, inaccessible or abandoned areas.
“Hovermap protects mining operations across multiple dimensions – safeguarding personnel, preventing equipment loss, minimizing production downtime and associated costs, and reducing legal and compliance risk,” says Hrabar.
Hovermap allows for the quick identification of deformation and faults through rock mass. With Hovermap, operators can conduct repeat scans of chutes, ore passes and drifts, identifying potential problematic areas requiring evacuation and reinforcement before they become hazardous. Read More: https://www.engineerlive.com/content/emesent-exploration-without-risk
Learn More about the Technology: https://emesent.com/solution/stockpile-measurement/
