DJI Enterprise Releases New White Paper on Automating Mining Workflows with DJI Docks

Features case studies on successful automation implementations for commercial mining operations at scale in Australia

SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – DJI Enterprise today released a new white paper, "Implementing an Automated Mining Workflow using DJI Dock: How to guide for successfully integrating the DJI Dock into your mining operations." The report provides industry leaders in the commercial mining industry with a practical, field-tested roadmap for transitioning from manual drone operations to a fully-automated drone program for BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) missions. By automating workflows, mine operations can conduct more frequent inspections to enable rapid decision-making, standardize data capture and reporting, and improve worker safety and efficiency across pits, plants, and infrastructure.

Best Practices for Implementing Automated Workflows

Globally, mining is a massive and growing industry, recording revenues in excess of US$3 trillion in 2023. Today, automation technologies are revolutionizing mining operations, leading to greater efficiency, safety, and sustainability. The white paper outlines the process for implementing an end-to-end automated mining workflow built on DJI’s drone-in-box enterprise solution, DJI Dock, and flight control software, FlightHub 2, including:

• Automating End-to-End Workflows: The White Paper details how operators can use the DJI Dock to plan missions remotely, scheduling flights, and pilot the docked drones on-demand. It also provides a step-by-step breakdown on how to automate data processing for existing photogrammetry software with FlightHub 2. For example, automated volumetric measurements of ore stockpile inventory can be conducted via geotechnical models.
• Regulatory Navigation and Operational Infrastructure: The White Paper explains how to navigate regulatory requirements for scaling responsibility. This covers licensing pathways for requirements such as Remote Pilot License (RePL), BVLOS approvals, Outside Controlled Airspace (OCTA), Instrument Rating Examination (IREX), and Specific Operation Risk Assessment (SORA) based BVLOS approvals, Remote Operating Centre (ROC) certification and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) design. It also outlines essential processes, including redundancy and fatigue management, emergency drills, and stakeholder engagement for complex airspace.

DJI Docks Drives Increase in Productivity for Mining Operations

By implementing an automated mining workflow using the DJI Dock, mining operations can achieve an increase in productivity when compared to manual drone flights and data processing. The improved efficiency is mainly due to the elimination of traveling to the inspection site, on-site staffing of drone pilots, and redundant photogrammy processing tasks. Tests found that the time required to capture and process a post-blast photogrammy survey fell from 1.2 hours to 30 minutes. With a single DJI Dock, remote pilots working eight hour shifts could perform approximately 150-200 flights (up to 50 flight hours) per month. Meanwhile, automated ground control points (GCP) markings further saved as much as 94% of time in data processing. This allowed for trigger-based data captures for If This Than That (IFTTT) processing and reporting when changes or objects were detected.

Automation Enhances Worker Safety in Mining Operations

Mine sites are inherently hazardous with operations involving large mobile machinery, open voids, blasting activities, and much more. Automated workflows enable operators to conduct more frequent inspections while working safely at a Remote Operations Center (ROC) — away from pit faces, blast zones, and tailing and hypersaline pipelines. Operationally, blast movements can be quickly analyzed for safer restarts with automated workflows. Likewise, repeatable surveys and inspections can be performed more frequently. When paired with intelligent analysis and alerts, operators can ensure assets and pipelines stay in working condition, environmental compliance requirements are met after rain events, and infrastructure development progresses properly.

Case Studies for Implementing Automated Mining Workflows at Scale

The White Paper features two case studies documenting the best practices of two Australian mining operations. At Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in the Pilbara region, the resilience of automated drone operations were demonstrated under extreme heat, dust, and cyclone-prone conditions. Not only did this improve worker safety and operational efficiency, it also enabled data-driven decision-making through remotely monitored flights and automatic recharging. At the Paddington Operations in Kalgoorlie, the DJI Dock was used to conduct aerial surveys of post-blast muckpiles. With AI-driven modeling, operators could improve grade control, reduce ore dilution and lower processing costs by sending higher-quality ore to the processing plant.

Download White Paper here.

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