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Mining Contract: Expanding the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in GPS-Denied Environments
Keywords: Communications equipment
This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being maintained or updated.
Contract #
75D30118C02634Start Date
9/1/2018End Date
12/31/2019Research Concept
This technology could be useful to miners looking to inspect mines after a ground fall event, to search for trapped miners, or in other instances where it's not safe to send people into a mine.
Contract Status & Impact
This contract is complete. To receive a copy of the final report, send a request to mining@cdc.gov.
The rise of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has given mines—and particularly surface mines—a new tool with which to inspect their operations from a safe distance. Underground mines, however, do not enjoy the same clear sight lines and extended range that's possible when operating UAVs, (commonly called drones), at surface mines. Unlike surface mines that benefit from having clear access to global positioning systems (GPS), underground mines are limited by their inability to access GPS.
Currently, if miners want to use (UAVs) to inspect trouble areas of an underground mine, they must remain within radio range (generally line-of-sight) for remote controls, typically no more than 2,000 feet. This range restriction means UAVs can't be as helpful as the technology could allow.
However, with this contract, that could change. The contractor, RESPEC, is familiar with challenges in the underground environment and, in partnership with another company in the UAV field (AutoModality), will develop a fully autonomous, UAV technology that will be able to travel a round-trip distance of at least 5,000 feet without the aid of a human pilot. The resulting device is intended to perform thermal imaging scans, detect methane levels, operate in smoke-filled environments, and learn about its environment and surroundings with help from a sophisticated internal algorithm.
See Also
Evaluation of the Black River Mine Telecommunication System
Mine Communications: An Overview of the Bureau of Mines Communications Research
An Overview of Bureau of Mines Communications Research
Remote Gob Gas Venthole Monitoring and Cellular Telephone-Based Real-Time Data Transmission System
Research and Development Contract for Coal Mine Communication System: Volume 1 - Summary and Results of System Study
Research and Development Contract for Coal Mine Communication System: Volume 2 - Mine Visits
Survey of Electromagnetic and Seismic Noise Related to Mine Rescue Communications: Volume I - Emergency and Operational Mine Communications
Survey of Electromagnetic and Seismic Noise Related To Mine Rescue Communications: Volume II - Seismic Detection and Location of Isolated Miners
A Technology Review of Smart Sensors with Wireless Networks for Applications in Hazardous Work Environments
Underground Mine Communications, Control and Monitoring
Page last reviewed: April 5, 2022
Page last updated: August 29, 2019
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program
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