Pit & Quarry, August 2017
by KEVIN YANIK DRONES PROFILE D ecision makers at Hinkle Contracting Co expected to see a payback on their January 2015 drone investment through efficiencies gained measuring stockpile volumes But the payback has been delivered to Hinkle and then some in a variety of ways including through several opportunities the company has seized related to mine planning We use the drone for a lot of things that we initially didnt think we would be using it for says Jacob Spencer plant manager at Hinkles Natural Bridge Stone location who also serves as the companys drone pilot We use it for watershed analysis Pit profiles Reclamation Its just unreal Originally though Hinkle justified Background An aerial view of Hinkle Contracting Co s Bourbon Limestone operation in Paris Kentucky courtesy of the companys eBee drone Above A ground shot of the Bourbon limestone plant its 30000 drone purchase based on the elimination of survey crews the company would otherwise pay to provide stockpile volumes The payback from the drone would come in time but as Warren Hawkridge senior vice president of operations estimates the drone payback has probably been five times greater than Hinkle anticipated We operate so many sites so if we S14 PIT QUARRY August 2017 pitandquarry com Photos courtesy of hinkle contracting co and kevin yanik toP inset HInkle ConTRACTIng Co The Kentucky producers investment in an unmanned aircraft system has exceeded its expectations
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