Boasting better safety, efficiency and productivity, the Office TeleREMOTE has been designed to control the SmartROC down-the-hole (DTH) drill rigs and MK I - based on the RCS 4 platform - from a remote location.

Operators now have the ability to access and operate multiple rigs from an office-based control centre, thus increasing the productive uptime of a mine.

"You have the option to select the stand-alone TeleREMOTE solution or to update any existing BenchREMOTE to a TeleREMOTE by connecting it to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)," product manager automation Mayya Popova said.

Epiroc said with the multi-drill operation capability, operator transports and idle time will be reduced. Working together with AutoDrill and its Auto-Rod Handling System features, the remote drilling option allows drill rigs to work almost continuously without breaks.

"The Office TeleREMOTE operator can run the rig without taking any risks thanks to multiple onboard systems," Popova said.

The operator uses the Hole Navigation System for accurate positioning, and a geofence function ensures the rig stays within the predefined area. The remote rigs are also fitted with cameras which provide the Office TeleREMOTE operator with a 360° view around the machine.

The suite is designed for use with surface drill rigs in open-pit mines or quarries. It  includes a work desk with adjustable height and ergonomically designed operator controls. Controls and display simulate a drill rig cabin experience, allowing for operator familiarity.

The product also has a server rack with Epiroc Automation Common Machine Server (ACMS), as well as a video system and a safety system to handle one remote drill rig and an option to extend that to up to nine drill rigs in increments of one.

Epiroc noted that its SmartROC models currently compatible with Office TeleREMOTE work desk are the SmartROC D50 MKI, SmartROC D55 MKI, SmartROC D60 MKI and SmartROC D65 MKI.