The drone sent into underground service tunnels after the gas explosion on Johannesburg’s Lillian Ngoyi Street is now being demonstrated as a way to inspect dangerous and difficult-to-reach areas in mines.
Delta Scan used a Flyability Elios 3 drone to assess damage beneath the Johannesburg street rather than sending people into the confined space.
The City of Johannesburg is now using information from that inspection to plan the street’s reconstruction.
“The drone was not just useful, it was indispensable for the task and unmatched by any alternative tool,” said Delta Scan managing director Darryl Epstein.
Drone heads underground for mining demonstration
Flyability is hosting its first Mining Connect Day in Africa at the University of Johannesburg on Tuesday, in partnership with GammaTec NDT Supplies, its official African reseller.
The Elios 3 will be demonstrated inside a mock mining tunnel built at UJ’s Department of Mining Engineering and Mine Surveying with the support of Sibanye-Stillwater.
The tunnel is designed to simulate real underground conditions.
The demonstration will show how the drone can inspect stopes, shafts, tanks and other inaccessible areas while producing detailed 3D maps.
How does the Elios 3 work underground?
Unlike conventional aerial drones, the Elios 3 is designed to operate in enclosed environments where GPS might be unavailable and avoiding collisions is difficult.
A protective cage allows the drone to make contact with surrounding surfaces.
LiDAR and visual sensors capture data that can then be used to create digital twins of underground infrastructure.
The technology allows inspections to take place remotely, reducing the need to send people into potentially hazardous areas.
Stope inspection completed in 10 minutes
Swedish mining group LKAB has used the Elios 3 to complete a full stope inspection from a single location in 10 minutes.
The inspection achieved complete coverage without requiring a surveyor to move within 15 metres of the rock face.
Faster remote inspections also give mine operators information they can use to assess damage, monitor conditions and plan maintenance with less disruption to production.
Drone use grows in South African mining
The technology forms part of broader drone use across South Africa’s mining industry.
Dwyka Mining Services and Tharisa recently launched a drone academy at the Tharisa mine.
An initial 20 people from the mine’s host communities are being trained for roles including surveying, security and mine planning.
The Council for Geoscience is also using drones fitted with magnetic sensors to support geological mapping and exploration.
From inspecting damaged tunnels beneath Johannesburg to mapping areas deep underground, drones are increasingly giving operators another way to gather information in places where sending people poses greater challenges.
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