Specialist Solutions Mining
Look Up Pro delivers stockpile volumetrics, rehabilitation area mapping, pit and dump management data, pre and post blast surface capture, and ongoing site monitoring for mines and engineering teams across South Africa. Trusted by Gold Fields, Sibanye Stillwater, Eastplats, and others.
Applications
Six core applications where aerial drone data delivers measurable value over traditional methods on active and rehabilitation mine sites.
Accurate volume calculations for ROM, product, and waste stockpiles from aerial surface data. Faster, safer, and more consistent than ground-based survey methods no personnel required on active stockpile faces.
Pre- and post-rehabilitation surface capture for compliance reporting, progress monitoring, and environmental management documentation. Produces the survey data required for DMR and regulatory submissions.
Regular aerial capture of open pit geometry, waste dump profiles, and tailings facility surfaces for mine planning, design reconciliation, and stability monitoring without requiring personnel in restricted zones.
High-resolution surface capture before and after blasting events. Pre-blast data informs optimised blast design; post-blast data documents fragmentation, muck pile volume, and blast performance against design.
Scheduled aerial surveys for ongoing site condition monitoring, construction progress, earthworks advancement, vegetation recovery, infrastructure condition, and security perimeter documentation.
Accurate topographic mapping of mine lease areas, access roads, infrastructure corridors, and service networks for mine planning, expansion feasibility, and as-built documentation.
Why Drone Data
Active pit walls, unstable waste dumps, blast exclusion zones, and tailings facilities are all safely capturable from the air. Ground survey teams cannot work safely in many of these environments, or require lengthy exclusion period coordination.
Mine planning and blast design decisions often cannot wait days for traditional survey turnaround. Drone capture of a large stockpile field, pit, or dump can be completed in hours with processed data available in days rather than weeks.
The same flight mission can be repeated monthly, weekly, or as required. For stockpile inventory control, rehabilitation monitoring, and pit advancement tracking, the value comes from the pattern of data over time, not just a single survey.
Rehabilitation compliance reporting, DMR submissions, and environmental audit trails require documented, dated survey data with traceable methodology. Aerial drone surveys produce georeferenced outputs with full processing records audit-ready data packages.
Deliverables
Outputs are scoped per project. We confirm format compatibility with your mine planning, survey, and engineering software before starting work.
High-resolution aerial photo map with accurate coordinate registration. Use for progress documentation, site briefings, and planning overlays.
GeoTIFF JPEG ECWDTM and DSM elevation grids for earthworks calculation, slope analysis, and rehabilitation surface comparison.
GeoTIFF ASC DXFCalculated stockpile, waste dump, or excavation volumes with base surface definition, volume method, and accuracy statement.
PDF report CSV dataDense 3D point dataset for use in mine planning software, engineering design, and blast optimisation workflows.
LAS LAZ E57Comparison of two or more survey dates to quantify material movement, rehabilitation progress, or site change over time.
GeoTIFF difference map ReportFull accuracy report including GCP coordinates, residual errors, flight parameters, and processing methodology for audit and compliance records.
PDF Included with every surveyOutputs are delivered in formats compatible with the mine planning, surveying, and engineering software your team already uses. Specify your requirements at quote stage.
Coordinate system transformation to your mine grid, WGS84, or Lo system available on request.
Mine Site Operations
Operating a drone on an active mine site requires more than a flying licence. Look Up Pro understands mine site safety requirements, induction processes, and operational coordination and plans accordingly.
All Look Up Pro personnel complete the required site induction process before commencing operations. We factor induction lead times into project scheduling no delays on the day.
We provide full SHEQ documentation including risk assessments, JSAs, emergency procedures, and a method statement for drone operations on your site before mobilisation.
SACAA NOTAMs filed for all operational areas as required. BVLOS operations are planned, approved, and documented no ad hoc or undeclared operations on mine sites.
For pre and post blast operations we coordinate with the mine blasting team on exclusion zone timing, standby procedures, and all-clear confirmation before deploying aircraft in blast areas.
Copies of our UASOC (ROC), SACAA registration, and BVLOS pilot licences available on request for contractor vetting and procurement compliance. We meet mine contractor standards.
One project contact throughout from scoping through to data delivery. No handoffs between departments or subcontractors on your project.
Before mobilising to any mine site, we prepare and submit a complete safety documentation pack including:
Additional mine-specific documentation available on request to meet your contractor management system requirements.
How It Works
Site name, location, application type, required outputs, and preferred turnaround. We confirm whether a site visit or remote scoping is required.
We review the scope, confirm the right platform, output format, and GCP requirements. SHEQ documentation pack prepared and submitted to mine for approval.
Site induction completed, NOTAM filed, equipment checked. Mine contact confirmed for blast coordination or exclusion zone management as required.
Flight mission executed on site. GCPs validated, data quality confirmed, backup copies secured before demobilisation.
Photogrammetry processing, volumetric calculations, and accuracy reporting. Outputs delivered in your required format with a full accuracy and methodology report.
Common Questions
With properly surveyed ground control points and RTK-enabled drone platforms, aerial photogrammetry can achieve stockpile volume accuracies of 13% on well-defined piles, and 35% on irregular or coarse-fragmented material. This is within the acceptable tolerance for most mine inventory and reconciliation purposes. We provide a full accuracy report with each survey including GCP residuals, checkpoint errors, and volume calculation methodology. If your mine requires survey-grade volumetrics certified by a professional surveyor, we work alongside your mine surveyor as the data capture provider.
Yes with proper coordination. Most drone survey work on active mines is conducted during operational hours, with the flight area deconflicted from active haul roads, blast zones, and restricted areas. We coordinate with your mine planning or surveying team to define no-fly corridors, exclusion distances from active mining faces, and operational windows that do not interrupt production. For blast-adjacent work, we coordinate directly with your shotfirer or blast controller on exclusion zone timing. All drone operations on active sites are filed with SACAA where required and documented in our pre-flight safety records.
We provide a full contractor documentation pack including: UASOC (ROC) certificate, SACAA registration confirmation, BVLOS pilot licence copies, risk assessment, JSA, method statement, emergency response plan, equipment inspection records, and insurance certificate. Most South African mines use contractor management systems such as ISNetworld, Avetta, Ariba, or their own vendor portals we can complete registration on your platform. Contact us directly for a compliance documentation request and we will supply what your mine procurement team needs.
Once the initial project is scoped, documented, and approved, subsequent monthly surveys are significantly faster to mobilise induction is typically already current, SHEQ documentation is on file, and the flight mission plan is already set up. For repeat volumetric surveys on the same stockpile field, we often require only a mobilisation confirmation call and NOTAM filing before deployment. Clients on repeat schedules are prioritised for booking we recommend setting up a standing monthly arrangement at the start of the engagement to secure your slot.
Look Up Pro is a data capture contractor, not a replacement for your mine surveyor. Many mines use us alongside their in-house or appointed surveyor we capture the aerial data, and the mine surveyor receives, validates, and certifies the outputs as part of their professional function. If your mine surveyor needs aerial data in a specific format for their workflow or mine planning software, we confirm compatibility before starting. For mines without an in-house surveyor, we can deliver processed outputs directly to the mine planning or engineering team in the agreed format and coordinate with your appointed professional as required.
Request a Quote
Tell us your site name, location, application type (stockpile volumetrics, rehabilitation mapping, blast data, or monitoring), and your required turnaround. We will review the scope and get back to you promptly.
