Mine and quarry surveying and volumes
Stockpile, spoil and production volumes measured by drone — without sending the crew into hazardous areas or stopping work.
In mines and quarries, volume drives production planning, stock control and often payments. Measuring it accurately, repeatably and with a paper trail is a business decision, not a technical detail.
A drone records the whole pit and stockyard in one flight. Nobody needs to stand at the toe of a face, climb a stockpile or walk active benches.
- Stockpile and spoil volumes
- Monthly production (excavation) volumes
- Bench geometry and slope angle checks
- Licence boundary and corner point surveys
- Pit topography and progress maps
Why measure stockpiles by drone
Stockpiles are irregular. A ground survey takes limited points and simplifies the shape; a drone captures the full surface, so the volume follows the pile's true form. It also keeps people off loose material and out of haul traffic.
Production and period comparison
Comparing surface models from two dates gives the volume excavated in between — the period's production. Permanent control on site keeps every period on the same reference. Colour difference maps show where the change happened, so planned and actual bench advance can be compared at a glance.
Benches, slopes and boundaries
Bench heights, widths and slope angles are measured from the surface model, and periodic models reveal changes over time. Licence corners are surveyed and overlaid on the orthophoto to show how close working areas are to the boundary.
What you receive
| Deliverable | Format | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Volume report | PDF + XLSX | Stock, spoil, production |
| Cut-and-fill map | PDF / GeoTIFF | Where change occurred |
| Pit orthophoto | GeoTIFF / ECW | Current site image |
| Topographic map | DWG / NCZ | Contours, benches, slopes |
| Point cloud / DTM | LAS / GeoTIFF | Mine planning software |
Methods we use for this work
Frequently asked questions
How accurate are drone stockpile volumes?
With proper ground control, typically within 1–3% of a ground survey. The ground beneath the pile is the main factor.
Must the quarry stop during the survey?
No. Flights can happen while plant works; only blasting times and the take-off point are planned around.
Can you compare with our previous surveys?
Yes, if they are georeferenced and the coordinate system is known. Otherwise the report states the limits of the comparison.
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