Stockpile Volume Surveys with Drones and LiDAR

A stockpile volume survey measures how much material sits in each pile on a mine, quarry, plant or construction yard. Drone LiDAR and photogrammetry capture every pile completely in one flight, so stockpile volume is calculated from the whole surface instead of a few walked points, and no one has to climb the piles.

Darling Geomatics measures stockpiles for inventory, month-end reporting and earthwork quantities, using the same base surfaces each time so results stay consistent between surveys.

What you receive

• Stockpile volume report for each pile, with the base surface used
• Orthomosaic and contour map of the stockpile area
• Change in volume since the last survey
• Point cloud and surfaces for your own checks

Where it is used

• Mine and quarry inventory
• Month-end and year-end reporting
• Construction earthwork quantities
• Material balance at processing plants

Consistent stockpile volumes month after month

Stockpile volumes change with the base surface used beneath each pile. We agree that base with you, whether a surveyed pad, the original ground or a plane between toe points, and use the same base for every survey, so month-to-month changes reflect material moved, not changes in method. Piles are captured completely by drone, including steep faces that are unsafe to walk.

Each stockpile volume report lists every pile with its volume, the base surface and the survey date, with an orthomosaic and contours of the yard. Point clouds and surfaces are included so your engineers or auditors can check the numbers. On mine sites, stockpile surveys can be part of MineSight, which keeps them aligned with the rest of the site data.