12:33, 04 January 2026

Russia to Develop Next-Generation Smart Drilling Rigs

The country is launching a large-scale project to robotize and digitally transform its mining industry.

Russia is set to begin implementing a large-scale project in 2026 focused on the development and deployment of fully robotized and automated drilling rigs for mineral extraction.

A strategic agreement signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum between the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, JSC RUSBURMASH (part of Rosatom’s mining division), and JSC Zavod Burovogo Oborudovaniya (ZBO) marks a shift toward creating a new generation of high-tech domestically produced equipment.

ZBO S15E to Become Even Smarter

As Sergey Lipatkin, head of the training center at Zavod Burovogo Oborudovaniya, told IT-Russia, the agreement manifests the start of systematic work to robotize and automate drilling rigs designed for hard-rock mineral exploration.

“The primary focus will be on the ZBO S15E series of drilling rigs. This is an electro-hydraulic self-propelled rig with a telescopic mast and a drilling-parameter control system, capable of performing core drilling to depths of up to 1,500 meters. These rigs already incorporate a number of digital solutions, but under the agreement they are expected to reach a new level of autonomy and intelligent control. Robotized and automated ZBO rigs will make drilling more efficient and gain a competitive edge over both foreign and domestic counterparts,” Lipatkin said.

Zavod Burovogo Oborudovaniya has also developed the Smart Drill program, a technological solution integrated into a broader project to digitalize drilling operations for uranium extraction. The software enables real-time monitoring and, when necessary, optimization of key drilling parameters, including torque, drill string weight, drilling fluid pressure, and other critical indicators.

The Smart Drill System

“In September 2025, the plant produced its first batch of ZBO S50 drilling rigs equipped with the Smart Drill system. This is a multipurpose machine built on a KAMAZ chassis and capable of drilling wells to depths of up to 3,000 meters. In cooperation with RUSBURMASH, Zavod Burovogo Oborudovaniya will supply domestically produced drilling equipment, including systems fitted with Smart Drill, over the next five years,” the training center head said.

The deployment of smart drilling rigs is expected to improve the accuracy and efficiency of exploration and extraction, reduce project timelines, and lower unit costs. Minimizing the presence of personnel in close proximity to drilling equipment is also set to enhance industrial safety. Russia is positioning itself to gain a significant competitive advantage in the global mining equipment market.

If successfully implemented, the project will allow Russia’s nuclear and mining industries, among the largest in the world, to obtain unique equipment that does not depend on external suppliers. This is expected to strengthen the country’s technological sovereignty and offer international markets alternative solutions for sustainable and efficient resource extraction.

Over the next five years, the plant will supply the new equipment to Rosatom enterprises and establish regional spare-parts warehouses to ensure rapid servicing. The Ministry of Industry and Trade, for its part, will work on adapting the regulatory framework to stimulate both production and demand for such high-tech solutions.

Extractive industry