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June 2016 www.coalage.com 29 mapping & surveying continued on a real-world project," Obrigewitch said. "With the many different kinds of drones out there, evaluate what scale of proj- ect you will work on, type of deliverables wanted, and what type of accuracy and im- age quality you wish to attain." Additionally, with ever-changing tech- nology, training is vital; ensure that the training received is from the OEM and is on the exact drone you intend to use. Training on the software to be used for data set collection is also important. "Train your UAS staff to understand current UAS FAA rules and regulations [and] develop a standard operating policy for you company," he said. "This will en- sure that the field crews operate the drone in a similar, consistent and safe manner." A complete SOP should contain cur- rent FAA rules and an outline of safety pro- cedures and prepost flight operations. All staff should be trained to possess a strong safety attitude, attention to detail and a professional attitude while operating the drone in the national airspace. "The very large UAS files add challeng- es to dataset file size and management," Obrigewitch added. "Get a high-speed, top-end computer with large data storage capabilities. One of the Falkirk mine UAS flights, which covered 400 aces, generated 35 GB of data to store and took 10 hours to process in the office." In terms of regular maintenance, pre- ventative or otherwise, Falkirk has devel- oped a plan for that as well; thus far, that plan has been working well. As the two noted for others, visual in- spections of the drone both preflight and post-flight for damage or other issues can help keep the unit ready for the next flight as well as for in-flight problems. "Follow the maintenance plan as out- lined in the manufacturer's guidelines," Obrigewitch said. "The manufacturer has done a great job [here] in support with the actual drone flight training and questions on office processing of the drone data." Looking Ahead There has been nothing but positive feed- back on the project itself as well as the re- sults it has helped realize for the mine. "Innovation has been a part of our culture here at the Falkirk mine for a long time," he said. "From being the first mine in the country to submit a fully electronic permit for mining to being one of the first mines to develop and incorporate ma- chine guidance systems, we take the op- portunities to add efficiencies, lower costs and improve safety seriously." Added Obrigewitch, "The saying that is really applicable to the technology is 'The sky is the limit.' As the FAA approves new rules and eventually makes it less onerous by regulation to operate drones in nation- al airspace, this technology will have the same impact for mapping as GPS did over prior conventional surveying methods." Because the drone market is improv- ing at a rapid pace, there will be more ap- plications for this technology going for- ward. That will certainly open the doors for additional capabilities and also to share drones' very detailed, precise data on a similarly ever-changing multimedia platform. quakerchem.com/minexpo info@quakerchem.com | 1.800.523.7010 DUSTGRIP® KEEPS YOU WORKING HARD BY KEEPING DUST IN ITS PLACE. © 2016 Quaker Chemical Corporation. All Rights Reserved. When you work in harsh conditions, the last thing you need is dust getting in your way. Quaker's dust suppressant product line, DUSTGRIP,® helps support a safer work environment, improve worker health, and optimize operational effciency by signifcantly reducing airborne dust. And with over 30 years of industry experience, you won't fnd a better partner, especially when new regulations come down the line. So team up with Quaker, and when work conditions get rough, we'll make sure the dust settles. Trust a partner who knows the mining Industry from the Inside. Visit us at booth 25313 (South Hall)