As part of the new partnership agreement, VIST Group business development director Dmitri Klebanov said the company is looking to incorporate indurad's solutions, particularly the collision-avoidance system and online volumetric scanning, into its systems.

VIST has been busy in recent months testing autonomous haulage and drilling systems, while also trialling unmanned machinery on a prototype 5G network.

The work is part of its Intelligent Mine project, which explores digital, autonomous solutions for open-pit production processes, while using Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and predictive-analytics technologies.

According to VIST, the complex of Intelligent Mine technologies can increase "the utilisation of haul trucks and excavators up to 20-25% and drilling rigs up to 35%, as well as reduce costs for maintenance by 10-15% a year".

indurad, which spun out of a 3-D radar research project at RWTH Aachen, offers solutions based on its in-house manufactured radar sensors. It uses multiple technology layers, such as GNSS, RTLS and radar sensor data, to provide active operator assistance in harsh conditions.

Reik Winkel, executive director of indurad, believes VIST is among the fastest-growing companies in the smart mining field and that indurad's technology will add value to its products.