TLDR: Drone company Sphere Drones has developed the HubX, a self-sustaining mobile drone platform designed for mining and other industries. The solar-powered and internet-enabled platform can be operational within 30 minutes and aims to simplify Drone-in-a-Box (DiaB) deployment. It includes built-in redundancies for continuous operation in remote areas and during network failures. The HubX platform enables businesses to collect aerial data across various terrains and remote areas.
According to Sphere Drones CEO Paris Cockinos, the platform allows miners and utilities to streamline the most time-consuming surveying tasks, saving them both time and money. The potential for HubX to streamline surveyors’ workloads, reduce time in the field, and increase data collection frequency through automation has been noted by Adrian Wall, Survey Superintendent and Chief Remote Pilot at Yancoal’s Mt Thorley Warkworth site. A recent Federal Government study estimated that expanding drone use could save Australian businesses up to $10 billion over the next 20 years, with the mining sector among the industries expected to benefit most.