Revolutionizing Mining Inspections with Drone Technology
Osprey Integrity’s recent inspection utilizing the Voliro T drone has resulted in significant cost reductions and operational enhancements for a leading mining company in Canada. Discover the details > >
Efficiency Redefined
By harnessing cutting-edge UAV technology integrated with Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) sensors, Osprey successfully conducted a comprehensive inspection of a surge bin hopper. This innovative approach reduced the inspection duration from two weeks to a mere 40 minutes, yielding an impressive savings of $1.2 million CAD for the company.
Challenges of Conventional Inspections
Conventional methods for inspecting ore collection bins in oil sands operations typically necessitate complete shutdowns, extensive scaffolding, and labor-intensive efforts spanning several weeks.These bins are subject to continuous wear from abrasive materials, leading reliability engineers to err on the side of caution by replacing all wear plates to prevent failures. This not only prolongs downtime but also escalates maintenance expenses unnecessarily.
Transformative Impact of Drone Inspections
Osprey Integrity’s implementation of the Voliro T drone has transformed this traditional process. By gathering precise, real-time data on wear plate thickness through the EMAT payload, the engineering team discovered that only 50% of the wear tiles needed replacement. This insight resulted in lower material costs, reduced labor hours, and uninterrupted production.
Enhancing Safety Standards
This drone inspection also considerably improved workplace safety. The use of the drone eliminated the necessity for high-risk tasks such as rope access or entering confined spaces, thereby minimizing personnel exposure and reducing the need for emergency rescue operations.
The Future of UAVs in mining
The success of this drone-based inspection underscores the transformative capabilities of UAVs in maintaining mining asset integrity. The combination of high-resolution data acquisition, minimal operational disruption, and improved safety presents a strong argument for broader implementation of drone technology in industrial settings.
For more insights, read the original article on the Voliro website.
