Supercharging Survey Teams with Autonomous Cavity Mapping Robots

Written by Raffi Jabrayan, Exyn Technologies

The work of monitoring and surveying large underground structures is complex and potentially dangerous work. Surveyors are required to work around the blasting and mucking schedules to monitor ongoing operations, or travel to dormant mines to monitor for long-term pillar degradation. Regardless of the mine, the way these underground cavities are currently mapped is with a traditional laser scanner mounted on a tripod or suspended inside a large cavity. 

There are over 100,000 dormant or abandoned hardrock room and pillar mines in the United States that are in constant need of cavity monitoring. However, using traditional scanning methods this process can take multiple hours of scanning per pillar per mine. That currently limits the number of mines a surveyor can reliably monitor every quarter, and as if that wasn’t hard enough, there is a dwindling supply of surveyors up to the task. However, new robotic breakthroughs are making it possible for surveyors to safely map large underground cavities in a matter of minutes all while capturing a survey-grade 3D point cloud. 

While this might sound like science fiction, cutting edge underground survey teams are using autonomous drones to capture survey-grade point clouds for analysis. To work in these dark, rugged environments, drones are equipped with LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) sensors that both help them intelligently navigate an unknown environment while also capturing a map for later analysis. 

AI is a SLAM dunk for surveyors

This breakthrough in artificial intelligence is powered by a LiDAR-based Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) algorithm called ExynAI, the world’s only robotic autonomy engine capable of level 4 autonomy. Equipped with ExynAI, industrial drones – like the ExynAero – are capable of autonomously exploring complex, dynamic environments without the need for a prior map, GPS, or a pilot in the loop. This technology enables the ExynAero to map deeper, more accurately, safely, and faster than traditional methods used underground today.

A recent evaluation conducted by the USC Consulting Group showed that the ExynAero outperformed traditional boom and scanner CMS methods in terms of safety, survey quality, and time savings. The ExynAero provides significant safety advantages for surveyors by allowing them to work further away from hazardous areas and reducing the need for manual handling of heavy equipment underground. It also offers improved survey quality by utilizing onboard mapping capabilities and eliminating errors caused by traditional scanning methods. 

No drone experience required

One of the major benefits of using autonomous drones for underground surveys is that operators need no prior drone experience to safely plan and execute missions. All missions are planned via a ruggedized tablet that comes with each robot. This software is used to plan missions, monitor missions progress while communications are available, and then process and geo-reference the final point cloud data. The drone comes out of the box with several mission modes, but powered by level 4A autonomy it can explore like no other. Operators can quickly define a 3D area of interest and press play, then the robot will take over and intelligently explore the area to generate a complete map. 

This is a great use case for surveyors tasked with monitoring potentially dangerous areas of room & pillar mines. From a safe standoff distance, they can task a robot with an exploration mission and capture a complete map to report back to their mine managers. And for simpler surveys, operators can plan waypoint-based missions to tell the robot exactly where to go and map. 

During USCCG’s evaluation, they found the use of an autonomous robot for underground surveying can result in significant cost savings over a 10-year period compared to traditional CMS methods. The technology can be used in a range of industries, including mining, government, and construction. 

Envisioning the future of fully autonomous underground mining

The ability to autonomously explore and map dynamic, dangerous environments make autonomous robots like the ExynAero an ideal solution for monitoring room and pillar mines. Surveyors can launch autonomous missions from a safe distance and let the robot explore an unknown environment, avoiding obstacles, creating a 3D map, and returning home to process the data. This technology enables surveyors to quickly and easily map large areas of room and pillar mines, and then report back to their mine managers.

What does this mean for the future of mining? This kind of technology can enable fully autonomous, robotic underground mining where human engineers can task individuals or swarms of robots with missions and monitor their performance from the surface. And that’s just the beginning. The true power of ExynAI lies in its ability to integrate with a variety of robotic platforms and sensors. Soon these autonomous robots will be able to survey on land, at sea, or even in space! If you’d like to learn more about how autonomous robots are being used today and how they could help improve the efficiency of your surveying operations, get in touch or even book a demo.