System and method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes

Abstract

Embodiments include a method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes by a drill rig including a drilling arrangement. The method includes the step of utilising an autonomous drilling procedure to control the drilling arrangement to drill a hole after locating the drill rig in a position where the hole is to be drilled.

1 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes by a drill rig including a drilling arrangement, the method comprising the step of:
 utilising an autonomous drilling procedure to control the drilling arrangement to drill a hole after locating the drill rig in a position where the hole is to be drilled.   
     
     
         2 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the drilling procedure comprises the step of instructing the drilling arrangement to drill in a manner which produces a collar around the hole with debris from the hole. 
     
     
         3 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the drilling procedure further comprises the step of instructing the drilling arrangement to flush the drill hole. 
     
     
         4 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the drilling procedure further comprises the step of instructing the drilling arrangement to stabilise inner walls of the hole. 
     
     
         5 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the drilling procedure further comprises the step of retracting the drilling arrangement from the ground hole. 
     
     
         6 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the step of stabilising the inner walls of the hole includes:
 detecting an amount of fallback in the hole, and   where the detected amount of fallback exceeds a pre-determined value, instructing the drilling arrangement to repeat the drilling procedure.   
     
     
         7 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the step of instructing the drilling arrangement to drill in a manner which produces a collar around the hole with debris from the hole comprises instructions to repeatedly penetrate and retract the drilling arrangement within the hole. 
     
     
         8 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the step of instructing the drilling arrangement to flush the drill hole comprises instructing the drilling arrangement to increase a flow of liquids from the drilling arrangement to the drill hole. 
     
     
         9 . A method for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the step of instructing the drilling arrangement to stabilise the inner walls of the hole comprises instructing the drilling arrangement to repeatedly penetrate and retract the drilling arrangement within the hole. 
     
     
         10 . A system for autonomous drilling of ground holes by a drill rig including a drilling arrangement, the system comprising:
 a processor arranged to process an autonomous drilling procedure to control the drilling arrangement to drill a hole upon locating the drill rig in a position where the hole is to be drilled.   
     
     
         11 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising a module arranged to instruct the drilling arrangement to drill in a manner which produces a collar around the hole with debris from the hole. 
     
     
         12 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising a module arranged to instruct the drilling arrangement to flush the drill hole. 
     
     
         13 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising a module arranged to instruct the drilling arrangement to stabilise inner walls of the hole. 
     
     
         14 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising a module arranged to retract the drilling arrangement from the ground hole. 
     
     
         15 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the module is further arranged to instruct the drilling arrangement to detect an amount of fallback in the hole, and where the amount of fallback exceeds a pre-determined value, to instruct the drilling arrangement to repeat the drilling procedure. 
     
     
         16 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the module is further arranged to instruct the drilling arrangement to drill in a manner which produces a collar around the hole with debris from the hole by repeatedly penetrating and retracting the drilling arrangement within the hole. 
     
     
         17 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the module is arranged to instruct the drilling arrangement to flush the drill hole by increasing a flow of liquids from the drilling arrangement to the drill hole. 
     
     
         18 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the module is arranged to instruct the drilling arrangement to stabilise the inner walls of the hole by repeatedly penetrating and retracting the drilling arrangement within the hole. 
     
     
         19 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein statuses relating to the drilling arrangement are monitored by the processor. 
     
     
         20 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the statuses relating to the drilling arrangement include at least one of drill rotation speed, rotation pressure, bit air pressure, pull down speed, pull down pressure, depth sensor, air pressure, and fluid flow rate. 
     
     
         21 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the processor selects steps to instruct the drilling arrangement based on a status relating to at least one of the drilling arrangement or the drill rig. 
     
     
         22 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the processor instructs the drilling arrangement to maneuver the drilling arrangement relative to the position where the hole is to be drilled. 
     
     
         23 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the processor instructs the drilling arrangement to vary at least one of a pull down rate, a pull up rate, a rotation speed, a bit air pressure and a liquid flow rate of the drilling arrangement. 
     
     
         24 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the processor instructs the drilling arrangement to meet a determined target by controlling at least one of a pull up rate, pull down rate, rotation speed, bit air pressure, and liquid flow rate. 
     
     
         25 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the processor instructs the drilling arrangement to meet a determined target by maneuvering the drilling arrangement. 
     
     
         26 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the determined target is to drill a hole of a predetermined depth. 
     
     
         27 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the determined target is to maximise penetration rates whilst minimising wear on the drill arrangement. 
     
     
         28 . A system for the autonomous drilling of ground holes in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the determined target is to maintain a stable collar. 
     
     
         29 . A computer readable medium providing a computer program comprising at least one instruction for controlling a computer system to implement a method in  claim 4 .