Quarry & Mine Site Mapping
Mining, Quarrying & Confined Spaces | Site Mapping A clearer picture of your quarry, from…
Whatever you need drones to do, there are three ways to work with Iprosurv.
Stockpile Measurement & Volumetrics
The Challenge
When material is constantly moving,
When material is constantly moving,
how accurate are your stock records?
Stockpiles rarely have regular shapes.
They change as deliveries arrive,
materials are processed and
vehicles remove products from site.
This makes accurate inventory
measurement a continuing challenge.
Manual estimates may rely on
assumed pile shapes, limited
survey points or calculations
based on vehicle movements.
These methods can leave uncertainty
about the quantity actually
stored on site.
Drone surveying provides a way
to capture the visible surfaces
of multiple stockpiles and create
detailed digital measurements
without requiring personnel
to climb unstable material heaps
or work unnecessarily close
to moving machinery.
Questions That Matter
How much material is available?
Calculate individual stockpile
volumes to support inventory
and resource planning.
Are stock quantities changing?
Compare surveys to understand
how stored material volumes
change over time.
Do our records match reality?
Reconcile measured quantities
against production, delivery
and weighbridge information.
Can measurement be safer?
Reduce the need for people
to access steep, unstable
stockpiles or active loading areas.
Drone Applications
Where is drone stockpile
Where is drone stockpile
measurement being used?
From aggregate depots and recycling
facilities to construction sites
and large-scale material operations,
drone volumetrics can turn a complex
working environment into
understandable inventory information.
01 / QUARRIES & AGGREGATES
Aggregate and mineral inventories
Measure stockpiles of sand,
gravel, crushed stone and
processed aggregates. Repeat
surveys can support production
planning, inventory reconciliation
and decisions about material
availability and storage capacity.
02 / RECYCLING
Recycling and scrap material audits
Create spatial records of loose
and processed recyclable materials,
including suitable scrap metal,
aggregate recovery and waste
stockpiles. Volumetric reports
can help operators understand
quantities awaiting processing
and investigate discrepancies
in inventory records.
03 / CONSTRUCTION
Earthworks and construction materials
Measure stored soils, excavated
materials and construction
aggregates. Suitable drone
surveys can also support
cut-and-fill calculations,
helping project teams assess
material movement and
site earthworks progress.
04 / BULK MATERIALS
Industrial storage and commodities
Support volume monitoring for
suitable bulk materials such as
biomass, coal, minerals and
processed industrial products.
Regular measurements can
contribute to stock accounting,
logistical planning and
operational reporting.
From Flight to Volume Report
Capture the surface.
Define the base.
Calculate the volume.
Drone stockpile measurement uses
spatial data to calculate the
volume between the observed
surface of a material pile
and a defined reference surface
beneath it.
01. Survey the stockpiles
Capture overlapping imagery
using an appropriate flight
plan and positional control,
ensuring the pile surfaces
and visible boundaries
are adequately recorded.
02. Process the measurements
Generate a point cloud or
surface model, identify the
stockpile boundaries and
establish a suitable
base reference for
volume calculation.
03. Produce the report
Calculate individual stockpile
volumes and prepare visual
reports for inventory records,
comparison against previous
surveys and operational review.
Technology in Action
Volume is measurable.
Volume is measurable.
Weight needs more information.
Drone surveying can produce
highly detailed measurements
of stockpile geometry, but
there is an important difference
between calculating volume
and determining the mass
of the material.
Volume measurement:
Survey software calculates the
space occupied by a pile,
normally expressed in cubic
metres (m³). The calculation
depends on the modelled
stockpile surface and the
reference surface beneath it.
Weight estimation:
To estimate tonnes, the
volume is multiplied by an
appropriate bulk-density value.
That density may vary with
material type, moisture,
compaction and particle size.
Accuracy and validation:
Reliable results depend on
appropriate data capture,
positioning control, clearly
defined pile boundaries,
suitable base surfaces and
independent checks.
Platforms such as DJI Mavic 3E
and DJI Matrice 4E support
mapping workflows, while
software including DJI Terra
and gNext Labs can be used
to process spatial information
and support volumetric analysis.
When methods are consistent,
repeat surveys also provide
useful records for tracking
stockpile changes over time.
Volumetric Technology Explained
Photogrammetry and 3D Models
Overlapping photographs are
processed to reconstruct the
visible shape of stockpiles.
The resulting point clouds
and surface models provide
the geometry required for
volumetric calculations.
Overlapping photographs are
processed to reconstruct the
visible shape of stockpiles.
The resulting point clouds
and surface models provide
the geometry required for
volumetric calculations.
RTK and Survey Control
Real-Time Kinematic positioning,
ground control points and
independent checkpoints
help establish reliable
spatial references and
validate the survey data.
Real-Time Kinematic positioning,
ground control points and
independent checkpoints
help establish reliable
spatial references and
validate the survey data.
Base Surface and Volume
The software needs a defined
base beneath each pile.
This may be a previously
surveyed ground surface,
a known pad level or
an estimated surface.
The choice affects the result.
The software needs a defined
base beneath each pile.
This may be a previously
surveyed ground surface,
a known pad level or
an estimated surface.
The choice affects the result.
Volume, Density and Tonnes
Cubic metres measure volume.
Tonnes measure mass.
Estimated mass is calculated
by multiplying volume by
an appropriate bulk density,
normally expressed as
tonnes per cubic metre.
Cubic metres measure volume.
Tonnes measure mass.
Estimated mass is calculated
by multiplying volume by
an appropriate bulk density,
normally expressed as
tonnes per cubic metre.
Why It Matters
Better stock visibility.
Better stock visibility.
Better operational planning.
Better-informed decisions.
Reduce unnecessary exposure
Aerial data collection can
reduce the need for personnel
to climb unstable stockpiles
or work within active
vehicle movement areas.
Site safety controls
remain essential.
Make inventory more transparent
Consistent measurement methods
create repeatable records
that can support material
accounting, production
monitoring and investigations
into stock discrepancies.
Survey more of the site
Planned aerial surveys can
capture multiple stockpiles
and surrounding site conditions
in one operation, providing
both numerical results
and visual context.
Introducing Drone Technology
A reliable stockpile survey
is about more than
flying over a pile.
The quality of the final volume
calculation depends on the
entire survey workflow,
not simply the number of
photographs collected.
Base surface definition:
The drone captures visible
surfaces but cannot ordinarily
see the ground underneath
an opaque stockpile.
The base must therefore
be established from suitable
survey information or
a documented assumption.
Material characteristics:
Reflective, dark or visually
uniform materials may present
photogrammetry challenges.
Moisture, compaction and
mixed material types can
complicate conversion
from volume to weight.
Working environments:
Dust, moving vehicles,
loading equipment and
changing stockpile surfaces
require careful operational
planning and coordination
with the site operator.
Repeatability:
Organisations benefit from
maintaining consistent
survey methods, reference
surfaces and reporting
procedures between visits.
When measurements are intended
for financial reporting or
contractual purposes,
appropriate verification
and clearly documented
uncertainty are especially
important.
What should organisations consider?
What is being measured?
Identify each stockpile,
its material type and whether
the required output is
volume, estimated mass
or change over time.
How accurate must it be?
Agree measurement tolerances,
survey control and validation
requirements before
collecting the data.
What is the base reference?
Establish how the ground
beneath each pile will
be defined and documented
in the calculation.
How will results be used?
Determine the reporting
format, survey frequency
and integration with
stock or inventory systems.
How can we help?
We do it for you
Our pilots carry out the survey or inspection and deliver the data and reports you need.
We show you how
Accredited courses that give you and your team the skills to fly safely and legally.
You do it yourself
The drones, sensors and software to run your own operations, with expert advice.
Not sure what you need?
Tell us what you are trying to achieve and we will recommend the right service, training or equipment.