Squadrone Infra and Mining Pvt Ltd, a Bengaluru-based startup specializing in aerial intelligence for mineral exploration, mining, tunnelling, and infrastructure, has recently announced a groundbreaking alliance with Industrias Geodia of Guyana, South America. This partnership aims to tap into the US$ 3-4 billion opportunity in the India, Middle East, and South Asia region.

The main objective of the alliance is to revolutionize the field of geophysical prospecting and leverage state-of-the-art technology to drive sustainable development. With the growing global demand for critical minerals, particularly those necessary for green energy solutions, there is a pressing need for new discoveries. Minerals such as nickel, cobalt, niobium, graphite, lithium, and other green energy minerals have become essential as countries shift towards embracing renewable energy sources.

Squadrone Infra and Mining has previously demonstrated its expertise in the field during the 2023 Silkyara tunnel rescue operation, which involved 41 trapped laborers. The company utilized advanced drones operated by a skilled team of mining engineers, drone pilots, and geotechnical experts to monitor and assist with the rescue efforts. This successful operation further solidified the company’s reputation and capabilities.

By integrating their cutting-edge drone-based technology with Geodia Industries’ expertise in AI and ML-driven exploration technology, Squadrone aims to set new industry standards for precision, efficiency, and sustainability. Through the use of innovative technologies like Drone-based Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Drone-based magnetometer – MagArrow, the partnership seeks to push the boundaries of traditional industry practices. The integration of AI and ML applications ensures seamless mineral exploration, offering services ranging from precise mineral prospecting to immersive 3D reality modeling.

This collaboration not only promises accelerated exploration processes but also prioritizes environmental consciousness and safety measures. By aligning with the principles of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), Net Zero, and sustainable development, the partnership aims to minimize environmental impact while maximizing resource detection accuracy and prospecting efficiency.

With this transformative alliance, Squadrone Infra and Mining and Geodia Industries are set to reshape the landscape of mining and exploration activities. By harnessing the power of advanced technology and a commitment to sustainability, they are poised to lead the way in geophysical prospecting and contribute to the global transition to greener energy solutions.

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Image: Carnegie Mellon University Mechanical Engineering

For drones to save lives in search and rescue missions, or even reliably deliver our packages, they need to navigate dynamic environments without accident. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have had success steering through open spaces time and time again, but the unpredictability of moving obstacles has been a challenge, especially in indoor environments with no GPS signals. Kenji Shimada and his students leaned into this problem to develop new technology that enables autonomous flights in indoor dynamic environments.

“Companies have recognized that young people don’t want to do dangerous, physical work anymore, so they are investing in robotics to fill the gap,” explained Shimada, a professor of mechanical engineering.

Shimada’s drones were able to measure the 3D geometry of the excavation front of the tunnel. This information, when compared to design data, tells builders what parts of the tunnel are complete and what parts need to be scaled further, without putting people at risk.

“To our knowledge, this is the first time 3D scanning with an autonomous drone has been done in dynamic, under-construction tunnel environments,” said Zhefan Xu, the lead Ph.D. student of the drone project.

In order to predict the path of moving objects, like people at work in the tunnel, the team introduced the first real-time system that uses a 3D hybrid map to account for the static environment while simultaneously tracking dynamic obstacles. With this technology, the team refined their previous algorithm to account for the real-time planning required by in-motion drones to prevent collisions. The combination system allows the drones to approximate where a collision may occur and prevent it.

“The idea for this project stemmed from a scene in a sci-fi movie where a robot flew around inspecting an underground structure. After a decade of research on drones and three years on this project, I’m excited that we’ve made it a reality. I think that this technology will have a large impact on improving the safety of workers on construction sites,” said Shimada. This research was presented at the 2023 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Drones are becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry, as they can provide various benefits such as site monitoring, progress tracking, quality control, safety inspection, and data collection. Drones can also be integrated with other technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to create digital twins of construction projects. Digital twins are virtual representations of physical assets that can be used for simulation, analysis, and optimization throughout the project lifecycle.

Some examples of how drones can be used to improve BIM and digital twins in construction management are:

– In a case study of a large building project in China, drones were used to capture high-resolution images of the site and generate 3D models that were integrated with BIM data. The digital twin solution helped to solve technological and coordination problems, develop innovative digital management concepts, and achieve full lifecycle BIM application for the civil aviation industry .

– In another case study of a construction monitoring project in the US, drones were used to collect aerial imagery of the site and create orthomosaics that were georeferenced and overlaid with BIM data. The orthomosaics were used for better site communication and collaboration, as well as for comparing point clouds and models to detect deviations and errors .

– In a third case study of a construction project in Dubai, drones were used to collect real-time data of the site and update the digital twin model. The digital twin model was then used for various purposes such as design validation, clash detection, schedule analysis, risk assessment, and stakeholder engagement .

These case studies show that drones can enhance the value of BIM and digital twins in construction management by providing accurate, timely, and comprehensive data that can improve decision making, coordination, and performance. Drones can also reduce costs, risks, and delays associated with traditional methods of data collection and analysis. Therefore, drones are a powerful tool for creating and maintaining digital twins of construction projects.

Sources:
: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.834671/full
: https://www.esri.com/about/newsroom/publications/wherenext/nexttech-construction-monitoring/
: https://www.airportsinternational.com/article/case-study-digital-twinning-construction