Coal India to use drones for measuring production at new mines

KOLKATA: Coal India has firmed up plans of acquiring drones for monitoring top soil removal, measuring daily coal production, mine reclamation progress and a whole host of monitoring jobs. The project is expected to gather pace once the lockdown is over.

At present, quantity of top soil removed by contractors from coal seams and coal produced by each pit are measured with ground mounted or hand held devices. It is a time-consuming process requiring extensive movement by executives and workmen. Drones can drastically reduce the time necessary for such measurements offering Coal India executives access to such data faster which in turn will enable faster decision making.

The plan is to first deploy drones at 35 top coal producing mines and then expand its usage at all new mines scheduled to be opened up for meeting one billion tonnes production target by 2024, as well expansion projects of some of the existing ones.

Following successful completion of pilot projects for measuring top soil removed, coal production and land reclamation, outsourced from external agencies, the company has decided to procure its own drones and retrofit equipment that can undertake the measurements.

Coal India’s consultancy arm, Central Mine Planning & Design Institute (CMPDIL) has also tied up with Centre of Aerospace Research (CASR), Anna University of Chennai for acquiring expertise in drone technology. It has ordered two drones which once delivered with necessary retrofit equipment will provide the company with the necessary expertise to deploy them at mines.

“Certain equipment for drones were scheduled to have been delivered last month but were delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown. They are now scheduled to be delivered after the lockdown,” a CMPDIL spokesperson said.

“Once these drones are successfully deployed, data captured and successfully analysed, the plan is to use more drones for similar purposes as Coal India expands its mines and opens new pits. Use of existing ground-based equipment will continue at their respective locations,” he said.

In the recent past, the company has also tested drones for monitoring illegal mining and coal pilferage from pits at subsidiary Central Coalfields mines.

“Drones could successfully track sources of illegal mining as well as the route followed by them to take away pilfered coal. At present services of drones are being used for survey of mining blocks for preparing mine plans as well as expansion plans,” an executive said.