In Russia, an Innovative Mine-Inspection Drone Passes Real-World Tests
Russian engineers have successfully tested a next‑generation underground drone capable of capturing video and generating precise 3D models in hazardous, hard‑to‑reach mining zones.
Engineers at the Innopolis University Unmanned Aerial Systems Center have tested their InnoSpector drone at the Oktyabrsky mine operated by Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division.
Designed for industrial inspection, the drone flies using a SLAM navigation system without GPS for up to 1,000 meters, avoids obstacles automatically, and returns intelligently to its base. It can scan and monitor mines, tunnels, tanks, and other complex or hazardous locations across mining, oil and gas, construction, and energy sectors. An integrated AI service can detect 75 types of defects.
The drone’s primary purpose is to inspect zones that are either dangerous or inaccessible for humans. During tests, specialists examined three ore passes and validated the drone’s ability to create 3D models of underground structures tied to the mine’s coordinate system.
Denis Ilyin, chief surveyor at the Oktyabrsky mine, emphasized that the drone operates via radio signal and does not require direct line of sight, enabling it to enter highly dangerous or unreachable spaces. Test participants also noted its ease of operation.
Video streams, measurements, and analysis of underground structures can be viewed directly inside the mine. The 3D model generated from point‑cloud data maintains an accuracy of within two centimeters.
