South African mining experts acquire underground drone maker Inkonova

Inkonova, a Stockholm-based underground drone mapping specialist, has been acquired by mining consultancy firm RAMJACK. While the terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed by the companies, Japan’s Terra Drone Corporation had also announced in 2018 that it had picked up a “significant stake” in Inkonova.

The Swedish company came onto the scene in 2014 with a focus on tilt-rotor technology for racing drones. By the end of 2015, Inkonova had decided to turn its attention to the underground mining sector. Today, it is best known for its Batonomous underground drone which can be used for both inspections as well as 3D mapping in GPS-denied environments. The drone leverages simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technologies for BVLOS flying.

South Africa-based RAMJACK’s prime interest is in sourcing technologies that can increase productivity while reducing safety risks for workers in underground mines. And companies like Inkonova and Emesent are proving every day how autonomous drone technology can provide valuable insights and reliable 3D visualization even in underground, inaccessible areas.

As an Inkonova customer of many years, RAMJACK is well aware of the advanced capabilities of the company’s tech. And this, it appears, made the decision to acquire the firm easy. Now, Mike Jackson, president and CEO of RAMJACK, is keen to replicate the success. Here’s Jackson:

As underground mines look to improve their production and safety performance, the ability to map inaccessible areas efficiently and safely is a critical success factor. Mobile mapping is a burgeoning segment of the industry and while there are some early movers in the space – like Australian firm, Emesent – we are excited to demonstrate how our advanced tech can take real-time monitoring of underground mines to a whole new level.

Pau Mallol, founder and chief innovator of Inkonova, adds:

Creating Inkonova has been a rewarding experience and I’m excited to be handing over the reins to the passionate mining technology experts at RAMJACK to bring it to the next level. The technological advancements we’ve made with the Inkonova range of products bring me great pride, and I look forward to seeing RAMJACK’s market reach help bring these exciting products to the global mining industry.

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