Drone technology provides a new perspective
Drones provide visual access to areas where humans cannot safely enter. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly referred to as drones, have become commonplace over the last decade.
They are flown as toys by children in our neighbourhoods, employed by networks broadcasting professional sporting events and even used to deliver packages to our homes and businesses. Drones survey agricultural fields, aid in search and rescue, provide 3D renderings of structures and collect data on the health of ecosystems or species. As the technology continues to advance rapidly and becomes more affordable, it appears to have limitless applications.
Visual access to unsafe areas
In recent years, Heidelberg Materials' operations have employed drone technology to survey inventory stockpiles, provide aerial imagery and collect topographical data for use in mine planning. Use of the technology has helped reduce reliance on expensive third-party services while enhancing inventory control and improving short-term mine planning.
The management team in North America’s Midwest Region believed drone’s offered additional value beyond the applications mentioned above. A drone, equipped with an Ultra-HD camera, could also provide new visual perspectives on various aspects of our aggregate operations. Most commercial drones are small, nimble and easily manoeuvred when piloted by trained individuals. They are ideally suited to provide visual access to areas where humans otherwise cannot safely enter.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Over the course of the year 2020, the team used a DJ Mavic Pro 2 model drone – piloted by Quality Control Manager Andy Harper – to conduct extensive surveys of nine aggregate operations. The surveys targeted key operational processes: pit load/haul, crusher performance, screen performance, wet processing and customer load out. The resulting drone footage provided unique, never-before-seen perspectives of each of these processes.
In early 2021, the management team came together to review the footage in hope of identifying further areas for improvement. The resulting conversations led to the identification of several best practices, significant knowledge sharing across operations and recognition of improvement opportunities. The team also perceived the value of these videos and the drone as training tools for our employees. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words!
Additional drones for 2021
Expansion of the drone surveys is planned in 2021. To support the effort, management has purchased an additional drone (bringing the total up to four) so surveys can be conducted more frequently. They also purchased a thermal imaging camera to help identify mechanical components at or nearing failure. Thermal cameras highlight the heat signatures of items relative to their surrounding environment. Components that show up as “hot” can indicate impending failure. When attached to the drone, the camera can survey large sections of the plant in a very short time, helping the maintenance team catch and correct issues before they result in operational downtime.
We’ve highlighted here only a few examples of alternate uses for drone technology. We encourage our colleagues to be creative, to explore new ideas and share drone discoveries across the organisation. On our path to ever greater Operational Excellence, the sky is no longer the limit!
