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Epiroc says its global fleet of Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII drills continues to grow, with mining and quarrying customers deploying the technology to improve safety, productivity, and drilling consistency.
The Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII is now operating at customer sites in Australia and the United States, including Fortescue’s Solomon and Eliwana operations, Luck Stone’s Rockville site, and KGHM’s Robinson Mine. With the global fleet now deployed across multiple customer operations, it says the expanding use of the technology demonstrates how autonomous surface drilling is becoming an integrated part of day-to-day production environments across a variety of applications and operating conditions.
Built on Epiroc’s proven automation technology, the Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII is designed to execute drill plans with minimal human intervention while maintaining high levels of drilling accuracy and consistency. By automating the full drill cycle and enabling remote supervision, the solution helps customers improve operational performance while reducing personnel exposure in active work areas.
“The growing adoption of the Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII reflects the value our customers are seeing from autonomous drilling in their operations,” says Mayya Popova, Product Manager Automation at Epiroc. “Customers are looking for solutions that help improve safety, increase consistency, and support productive operations. It is rewarding to see autonomous drilling becoming an important part of how mining and quarrying companies are advancing their operations.”
The Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII is part of Epiroc’s broader automation portfolio. It integrates with LinkOA, Epiroc’s platform for managing drill plans, coordinating autonomous operations, and monitoring fleet activity in real time. LinkOA also supports other equipment, including autonomous haul trucks, giving customers a common platform to support daily operations and expand automation across their fleets over time.
Customers can supervise autonomous SmartROC and Pit Viper fleets through Epiroc’s Common Automation Panel (CAP), providing a common interface for monitoring and managing autonomous drilling operations across sites and equipment platforms. This common technology approach simplifies adoption while supporting future expansion of autonomous capabilities.
“As the autonomous SmartROC fleet continues to grow, customers benefit from technologies shared across our wider drilling automation portfolio. That common approach across SmartROC and Pit Viper gives them a consistent foundation for managing and expanding their autonomous drilling fleets,” says Christopher Blignaut, Automation Manager at Epiroc. “CAP provides a common interface for both drill platforms, while LinkOA brings fleet visibility, planning and coordination together. LinkOA also supports other equipment types, giving customers a common platform to expand automation across their fleets and connect more of their operations.”
Epiroc’s autonomous drilling journey builds on years of experience developing automation solutions for surface mining and quarrying applications. Together with the company’s broader portfolio of autonomous and remote operation technologies, the Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII helps customers improve safety, optimise performance, and create more consistent drilling operations.
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