Testing the Elios 3 Surveying Payload at ICL Boulby Mine
Discover how the new Surveying Payload significantly improved survey speed and efficiency in the underground environment of ICL Boulby Mine.
Key Benefits
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Enhanced Data Coverage The Elios 3’s new LiDAR payload offers an extended range, allowing it to cover larger areas more efficiently while maintaining high accuracy compared to the standard configuration. |
Increased Speed The Surveying Payload allows for faster data collection and shorter flight times. At ICL Boulby, a 340-meter tunnel was surveyed in just 10 minutes using the new system. |
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Simplified Flight Planning The Rev 7 LiDAR makes flight planning easier due to its increased range and coverage. This led to a 50% reduction in surveying flight time at ICL Boulby. |
Improved Accuracy The new payload reduces LiDAR scan drift by up to five times compared to the standard configuration, offering greater precision even in complex environments. |
Flyability conducted tests on the new Surveying Payload for the Elios 3 at ICL Boulby, a site that already uses the original LiDAR system for regular inspections. The team wanted to compare the performance of the new Ouster Rev 7 LiDAR sensor against the existing one in a real-world setting.
Exploring the World's Only Polyhalite Mine – ICL Boulby
ICL Boulby is the only mine in the world that extracts polyhalite, a natural fertilizer. Located north of Whitby in Northeast England, the mine has been in operation since 1968, initially for potash extraction. It now focuses on polyhalite, which is used in agriculture.
The mine extends over 1,200 meters underground and reaches as far as 12 kilometers beneath the North Sea. Managing such a vast and historic site presents unique challenges, including mapping old workings and current excavations to ensure safety and compliance with UK regulations.
Simon Pollitt of ICL Boulby introduced the Elios 3 to help map these complex underground structures. The drone supports the advance and retreat mining method, where tunnels are supported during excavation and then removed later. Once an area is retreated, it becomes inaccessible to personnel, making the Elios 3 essential for safe and efficient mapping.
Since 2023, the Elios 3 has been used at ICL Boulby for nine months, supporting various surveying and volumetric projects through its regular LiDAR scans.
Reducing Drone Flight Time by Half with the New Surveying Payload
A 340-meter tunnel once required four flights with the original Elios 3, taking 20 minutes in total. These flights were complicated by the need to scan beyond the visual line of sight, which could affect the connection between the remote controller and the drone. Post-processing was needed to generate a complete point cloud.
The new Surveying Payload changed everything. With the upgraded Ouster Rev 7 LiDAR OS0-128, the drone can now capture twice the coverage in a single flight, reducing flight time by half and preserving battery life. The enhanced range also means fewer scans are needed, cutting post-processing time significantly.
Double the coverage: Comparison of the two LiDAR configurations shows the Surveying Payload covers twice the area in a single flight.
The Rev 7 LiDAR provides better positioning accuracy, robustness in symmetrical environments, and a longer scanning range. This results in denser, richer point clouds that can be processed automatically using FARO Connect software, streamlining the workflow for survey teams.
VIDEO: Fly-through of the data captured in one flight by the Elios 3 Surveying Payload
With the new Surveying Payload, Simon completed a full scan in just one flight, cutting flight time in half and saving battery power. Additionally, the reduced need for merging multiple scans cut post-processing time by 50%.
Simplified flight path for comparable results: The left image shows the trajectory of the original payload, while the right image demonstrates the new Surveying Payload.
Improving Z-Axis Accuracy for Better Alignment with Terrestrial Scans
LiDAR surveys often experience some degree of drift, especially along the Z-axis. This drift occurs when the measured location differs from the true location. To correct this, surveyors use control points to georeference the scans.
With the new Surveying Payload, Simon noticed a significant improvement in the drone’s ability to reduce drift. The increased range and accuracy of the Elios 3’s new payload now match the precision of ICL Boulby’s terrestrial laser scanners, reducing post-processing time and enabling more detailed and accurate surveys.
5x more accurate on the Z-axis: Red represents the old payload with higher drift, while black shows the new Rev 7 LiDAR with significantly improved accuracy.
This level of precision opens up new possibilities for ICL Boulby, particularly in water drainage planning and other high-accuracy applications.
Expanding Use Cases with the New Surveying Payload
Currently, ICL Boulby uses the Elios 3 for mapping mine workings and measuring stockpile volumes. However, previous limitations in drone size and maneuverability restricted their ability to survey certain areas effectively.
With the new Surveying Payload, they now plan to expand their use cases, including scanning deeper indoor stockpiles and more complex underground structures. The increased accuracy and efficiency will support more detailed and reliable surveys.
"The Elios 3 Surveying Payload is a game-changer for our operations. The faster data collection and improved accuracy alone make it worth upgrading from the standard sensor, and we're excited about the new projects we'll be able to tackle with it," - Simon Pollitt, Chief Surveyor at ICL Boulby
The enhanced Z-axis accuracy also allows for large-scale surveys with fewer flights and shorter durations, increasing efficiency and reducing workload per survey. This helps surveyors cover more sites in less time while maintaining accurate records. Overall, the new Surveying Payload is a valuable upgrade for ICL Boulby, helping save time, reduce costs, and ensure safer drone inspections for the team.
For more information on the capabilities of the Elios 3 Surveying Payload or to determine if it fits your surveying needs, contact us. Our team of experts is here to assist you at any stage of your drone adoption journey.
The most accurate surveys with the Elios 3 are achieved using the Surveying Payload.
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