Automated surveying device for underground navigation

AbstractSemiautonomous vehicles have been making their appearance in the underground mining business through teleoperation. The operation of partially or totally autonomous vehicles requires an accurate survey and speedy acquisition of data of the operating environments. While the surface surveying industry is enjoying great benefits from specialised global positioning systems to optimise the acquisition of survey data. Underground surveying is not as fortunate as global positioning system signals are not able to penetrate the surface of the earth. The existing survey methods used underground do not allow a fast acquisition of surveying data needed to draw maps and profiles necessary for good navigation systems. A new automated surveying technique based on the combination of inertial navigation system equipment and a laser scanner is proposed. The analyses of its precision measurement with respect to underground surveying requirements, errors, speed of data acquisition method and its impact of teleoperati...