Determination of an updated drilling plan

Abstract

An apparatus is arranged to obtain 3D models of a drilling face and component(s) of a drill rig, a kinematic model of the rig, and a drilling plan indicative of start and end points of holes to be drilled on the drilling face. The apparatus may perform a simulation of the drilling plan based on the 3D models of the drilling face and the component(s) and the kinematic model of the drill rig, and detect, based on the simulation, a simulated collision between the component(s) of the drill rig and the drilling face or between the components of the drill rig, wherein the simulated collision is associated with simulated drilling of at least one of the plurality of holes. The apparatus may also determine an updated drilling plan including an adjusted start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes, in response to detecting the simulated collision.

1 . A drilling control apparatus including a drilling simulator configured to perform simulations of movement of at least one component of a drill rig, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   obtain a three-dimensional (3D) model of a drilling face;   obtain a 3D model comprising 3D geometry data of at least one component of a drill rig and a kinematic model of the drill rig, the at least one component including at least one boom and the kinematic model of the drill rig enabling modelling movement of the at least one boom;   obtain a drilling plan indicative of a plurality of start points and end points of a plurality of holes to be drilled on the drilling face;   perform a simulation of the drilling plan based on the 3D model of the drilling face, the 3D model of the at last one component of the drill rig, and the kinematic model of the drill rig;   detect, based on the simulation, a simulated collision between the at least one component of the drill rig and the drilling face, wherein the simulated collision is associated with simulated drilling of at least one of the plurality of holes; and   determine an updated drilling plan including an adjusted start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes, in response to detecting the simulated collision.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 maintain, in the updated drilling plan, an end point of the at least one of the plurality of holes, wherein the end point of the at least one of the plurality of holes was included in the drilling plan,   adjust the end point of the at least one of the plurality of holes towards the adjusted start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes, or   adjust the end point of the at least one of the plurality of holes towards the adjusted start point such that a distance between the adjusted start point and the end point is substantially equal to a distance between the start point and the end point of the at least one of the plurality of holes.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based on the simulation, a location of a drilling unit of the drill rig, wherein the location of the drilling unit is associated with the simulated collision;   determine a position for the drilling unit to reach the end point of the at least one of the plurality of holes from the determined location of the drilling unit; and   adjust the start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes based on the determined position.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine at least one candidate start point for the at least one of the plurality of holes;   perform, based on the 3D model of the drilling face, the 3D model of the at last one component of the drill rig, and the kinematic model of the drill rig, a second simulation of drilling the at least one of the plurality of holes with the at least one candidate start point; and   adjust the start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes based on the second simulation such that no simulated collision occurs between the at least one component of the drill rig and the drilling face.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to adjust, based on the 3D model of the drilling face, the 3D model of the at least one component of the drill rig, and the kinematic model of the drill rig, the start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes such that no simulated collision occurs between the at least one component of the drill rig and the drilling face. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform a mapping between the plurality of start points and end points and the 3D model of the drilling face. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component of the drill rig comprises at least one of the following:
 a first boom,   a second boom,   a first drilling unit coupled to the first boom,   a second drilling unit coupled to the second boom,   at least one boom part of the first boom, or   at least one boom part of the second boom.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to scan the drilling face to obtain the 3D model of the drilling face. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to scan the drilling face, in response to detecting the drill rig to reach a planned drilling position. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to initiate drilling of the plurality of holes based on the updated drilling plan. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises the drill rig. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 receive the 3D model of the drilling face from the drill rig to obtain the 3D model of the drilling face; and   transmit the updated drilling plan to the drill rig.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus includes a drilling control device, wherein the drilling control device is external to the drill rig. 
     
     
         14 . A method performed by an apparatus including a drilling simulator configured to perform simulations of movement of at least one component of a drill rig, the method comprising:
 obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) model of a drilling face;   obtaining a 3D model including 3D geometry data of at least one component of a drill rig and a kinematic model of the drill rig, the at least one component including at least one boom and the kinematic model of the drill rig enabling modelling movement of the at least one boom;   obtaining a drilling plan indicative of a plurality of start points and end points of a plurality of holes to be drilled on the drilling face;   performing a simulation of the drilling plan based on the 3D model of the drilling face, the 3D model of the at last one component of the drill rig, and the kinematic model of the drill rig;   detecting, based on the simulation, a simulated collision between the at least one component of the drill rig and the drilling face, wherein the simulated collision is associated with simulated drilling of at least one of the plurality of holes; and   determining an updated drilling plan comprising an adjusted start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes, in response to detecting the simulated collision.   
     
     
         15 . A computer program including instructions which, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus, including a drilling simulator configured to perform simulations of movement of at least one component of a drill rig, at least to:
 obtain a three-dimensional (3D) model of a drilling face;   obtain a 3D model comprising 3D geometry data of at least one component of a drill rig and a kinematic model of the drill rig, the at least one component comprising at least one boom and the kinematic model of the drill rig enabling modelling movement of the at least one boom;   obtain a drilling plan indicative of a plurality of start points and end points of a plurality of holes to be drilled on the drilling face;   perform a simulation of the drilling plan based on the 3D model of the drilling face, the 3D model of the at last one component of the drill rig, and the kinematic model of the drill rig;   detect, based on the simulation, a simulated collision between the at least one component of the drill rig and the drilling face, wherein the simulated collision is associated with simulated drilling of at least one of the plurality of holes; and   determine an updated drilling plan including an adjusted start point of the at least one of the plurality of holes, in response to detecting the simulated collision.