The process of rock blasting is becoming far more exact and less of a guessing game. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) and three-dimensional photogrammetric processing software, we are now able to create before and after assessments of the detonic efforts, allowing the client to more accurately determine the effectiveness of a site’s blast it also enables us to look at muck-pile configuration and overall blast performance.
To increasing efficiency is to improve planning, design, blasting and post blast follow-up and quantification. By doing a pre and post blast survey to create overlying 3D models for comparison calculations is now done easier than before. On average such a survey will be completed within a couple of minutes from take-off, depending on the size of the blast block or area of focus. Timing between blasts is crucial to ensure proper capturing of the rock face and proper blast planning.
Current problems we face in the industry today:
- Unsafe environment
- High cost implications of old survey methods
- Constant moving environment effects the volumetric readings
- Limited blast recording footage
- Inaccessible areas
- Time consuming
The services we have to offer:
- Accurate Pre and post blast 3D georeferenced models
- Point cloud generation
- Orthophoto generation
- Actual blast videos by using UAV/ drone technology
The advantage will be:
One of the biggest benefits to combining UAVs with 3D photogrammetric blasting survey and profiling technology is safety.
The benefits added on to blast planning:
- Boreholes can now be positioned on the rock face and high walls to ensure that the explosion is distributed safely
- Burdens and explosive loads can now be factored into the blast design this recuses the potential for fly rock
- By using accurate 3 models your company can now position boreholes acceptably, generate reports that factor how the holes should be loaded with explosives and inert decks to obtain optimised blast performance
You are now able to see detailed features, such as the faults, seams and geological characterisations of the area selected for blasting. All blast information (3D models, point clouds and actual blast videos) can now be archived which is new to the industry.
One of the major gains of this is that management are now able to design and plan blasts around potential problem areas and embody the area for geo- technical purposes.