In a statement, Tata said the vehicles, more commonly known as drones, will provide overhead surveillance of the Noamundi Iron Mine in northeastern India. More specifically, drones will inspect mine borders and safety zones, assess vegetation in reclaimed areas and help calculate volumes in ore piles. 

“It is a proud moment for all of us,” said Rajeev Singhal, Tata Steel’s vice president for raw materials. “Tata Steel has embarked on the digital journey to leverage benefits of the latest changes in this field. We are trying to keep pace with the global trends of digitalization in the mining industry, and this is a step toward that. This technology of mine monitoring through drones will help us to address adequately any bottleneck on the ground with responsive mine administration.”