Anglo American 's South African subsidiary , Kumba Iron Ore , has been awarded a licence to operate unmanned survey aircraft for the collection of data , removing the need for human workers to navigate dangerous environments . The drones operate at heights of up to 1,000 ft , producing 3D maps through their cameras and laser scanners . Kumba is already using the technology at its own mine . A report by the International Data Corporation found that global drone spending will reach US$9bn this year, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 29.8% by 2023. Global drone sales will reach $ 9bn this year , with compound growth of 10 % forecast by 2023 , according to a report by International Data Corporation .
Anglo American 's South African subsidiary , Kumba Iron Ore , has been awarded a licence to operate unmanned survey aircraft for the collection of data , removing the need for human workers to navigate dangerous environments . The drones operate at heights of up to 1,000 ft , producing 3D maps through their cameras and laser scanners . Kumba is already using the technology at its own mine . Global drone sales will reach $ 9bn this year , with compound growth of 10 % forecast by 2023 , according to a report by International Data Corporation .