Eltirus founder Steve Franklin explains how new advances in drone and drone platform technology in 2025 will herald a major change.
On 17 of May 2017, Eltirus flew its first whole of quarry drone flight using a DJI Phantom 4 and processed it using Propeller.
It was a revelation to me at the time that we could achieve so much with so little.
Now, some eight years later we are on the verge of the next really big technology advance.
Drone technology changes
DJI produce arguably the best drones for quarry use. We are strong believers in keeping it simple and always recommend to our clients to buy drones in the sub-2kg category (unless there is a very real need to have something larger). A sub-2kg drone keeps things ‘regulatory lite’ in regards to CASA, specifically with respect to company and pilot licencing which reduces on-going compliance requirements and management.
We have long been a fan of DJI drones, flying the last three generations in the sub-2kg class and now gearing up to bring on the recently released DJI Matrice 4 Enterprise (M4E). For those of you who may still be flying the DJI Phantom 4 RTK (P4R), the jump in technology to the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise (M3E) and now the M4E is substantial.
The newer drones are smaller, easier to operate, fly faster, have better battery life and have significantly better obstacle avoidance. To give you some sense of just how much improvement has been made, if you consider the performance of a P4R vs a M4E, the new drone is 60 per cent faster and uses batteries that last about 50 per cent longer, and surprisingly, is cheaper.
Drone software update
While some sites only use drone survey for stockpile management, we believe that regular (monthly), whole-of-site drone survey are one of the most effective quarry communication and management tools currently available.
The ability to pull up a 3D image of your site with all the relevant geospatial information loaded up and available for discussion in a meeting, internally or with other stakeholders, is critical to ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
We use a range of geological and mine design and scheduling software packages in the course of our work and one of the challenges has always been in communicating that work to site users in a way that is accessible to them without the requirement for expensive licences and specialist skills.
This requirement has led us to research many different potential software solutions over the years, with a specific focus on looking for solutions that were quarry focussed..
Over the past eight years, several companies have come and gone, with the industry tending to settle on two main platforms that are now fairly well known. More recently we identified a new package that we think shows considerable advantages over other solutions – Strayos. In essence, it combines the tools that we are generally used to seeing in a drone platform with the added benefit of AI analysis functionality and a fully featured drill and blast design and analysis package.
Key benefits include:
Improved operational safety using AI tools
Tools to improve fragmentation through blast optimisation
Unparalleled data integration and interoperability with other systems
Improving operational safety using AI tools
Strayos uses a range of AI tools to enhance safety in quarry operations in the following areas:
Slope stability monitoring: AI is used to continuously monitor slope angles and detect potential deformations or failures in pit slopes, tailings embankments, and stockpiles, helping to prevent accidents by identifying risks early.
Blast safety: Integrated blast design tools optimise blast designs to minimise fly rock and vibration, reducing the risk of accidents and damage to nearby structures. AI tools provide the ability predict, analyse and learn about how to improve blast fragmentation and can be combined with both a smart phone app and a full blown, real-time fragmentation analysis device that can assess material size and shape either of material dumped into a primary crusher hopper or over a conveyor belt.
Haul road and berm compliance: AI tools are used to assess haul road width, grade and cross fall and ensure that berms meet safety standards by analysing their dimensions and conditions in alignment with your site safety parameters.
Environmental monitoring: AI tools can track environmental factors such as water erosion and pooling and provide monitoring of species.
Blast optimisation
I have always been interested in drill and blast, initially from my time as a shotfirer and later in managing the drill and blast operations for a mining contractor.
Strayos was of immediate interest to me as it combines drone platform tools that I am already familiar with, with a full featured drill and blast design, tie-in and analysis platform.
Specially the things I like are:
Data Integration: The data from various sources like drones, apps, satellites, drill rigs and other smart equipment is integrated into a single platform. This allows for better decision-making and operational efficiency.
By way of example, I found it very interesting to be able to see measure while drilling (MWD) data in the platform, presented in its correct spatial position on the bench with the ability to then line this up with the geological model for that part of the quarry.
Blast Optimisation: AI tools are used to optimise blasting operations, reducing costs associated with backbreak, secondary breakage, and fines. This includes the ability to visualise collar deviation, predict fragmentation, muck pile profile, floor level and vibration/air-blast and then use the AI toolset to compare what was predicted with what was achieved.
Data interoperability and integration
A key goal for us is to make our work accessible to the quarry management team. Of a similar importance is the need to make site data available to our team as well. For example, if we can integrate MWD data from site with geological data, or geotechnical data and then align it with blast fragmentation data to optimise outputs.
Strayos achieves this through:
3D modelling: Advanced photogrammetry to create highly accurate 3D models of quarry sites, incorporating data from drone surveys, geological assessments, and other sources to provide a detailed visual representation.
Real-time synchronisation: Integration of data collected in the field, such as drill logs and blast designs which can then be synchronised in real-time ensuring that all team members have access to the most up-to-date information.
APIs and integration: The ability to seamless integrate data with other enterprise applications. For example, we can pull stocks data directly out of Strayos via the API into our quarry reporting system, Eltirus Enable without having to export/import spreadsheets.
By integrating data from these diverse sources, Strayos helps quarry operators make informed decisions, optimise operations, and improve overall efficiency.
Beyond visual line of sight drone operation and drone platform integration
You might be aware that beyond visual line of site (BVLOS) drone operations are becoming more and more common these days as the DJI Dock 2 improves in functionality and CASA allows suitably qualified companies to fly BVLOS.
The DJI Dock 2, is a particularly interesting piece of technology – it provides a ‘hangar’ for the drone that is weatherproof, can charge the drone and download data from it, all done remotely.
An Australian company, RocketDNA is doing some very interesting work around integrating this dock with Strayos through a seamless integration between the dock, drone, Strayos and their control room.
RocketDNA will rent you a DJI Dock, you advise them of the flight plans and flight frequency and they do everything remotely including:
Automated data processing: RocketDNA uses Strayos to process raw drone.
Automated reporting: Data captured by the drone can be automatically processed and reported using Strayos’ AI capabilities.
Real-time data access: Real-time data synchronisation, ensuring that all team members have access to the most current information for monitoring and ensuring compliance with safety standards.
Future developments
Another area that we are very interested in is hyperspectral analysis to enhance geological mapping and optimise quarry operations. Benefits can include:
Mineral classification: Classification of different mineral zones across a site, bench, or muck pile.
Geological feature detection: Automatic detection and visualisation of geological features such as bedding planes, joints, and fissures.
Environmental monitoring: Monitoring of environmental factors, such as vegetation health, rehabilitation progress and species diversity and identification – e.g. fire ants.
By integrating hyperspectral analysis, Strayos provides a more detailed and accurate understanding of the quarry site, leading to improved operational efficiency and safety.
We are very excited to see just where the Strayos journey will take us and our clients in 2025 and beyond.•
For more information, contact steve.franklin@eltirus.com or visit eltirus.com
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