Glencore & FlyFreely Case Study

Industry

Mining

Challenge

Multiple sites, multiple systems, transient pilots, and no visibility or audit trail of their operations across 300 pilots. Compliance risk, data loss risk, massive administration work. Not sustainable.

Results

FlyFreely across all sites. Visibility across all mine sites, with simplified and automated workflows for all pilots to follow. Offline field app for faster flights, and approval notifications directly to CRP.

Key Product

FlyFreely (Enterprise Plan)

www.glencore.com.au

300+

Pilots

Mine sites

34+

Senior Remote Pilots

2hrs

to onboard entire site team

FlyFreely has become the cornerstone of our RPAS Management System. I no longer must maintain a plethora of spreadsheets. I have a single source of information, everything on my mobile field app, and an excellent partner to work with.

Andrew Sutherland

National Chief Remote Pilot @ Glencore Australia

About Glencore

Glencore Australia embarked on its commercial drone journey eight years ago. Starting with individual sites exploringsub-2kg drones, the company transitioned to a centralized system covering Coal, Copper, Zinc, Nickel, and Agricultural operations, spanning 34 sites in four states.

The Challenge

As Glencore scaled its drone operations, inconsistencies arose. Different sites had divergent approaches to RPAS management and lacked a standardized system. Some relied on paper manuals, others on Excel spreadsheets, and a few even used in-house solutions. This fragmented approach created complexities for the Chief Remote Pilot, making it nearly impossible to monitor operations and maintain CASA compliance.

The Solution

After an exhaustive search, Glencore partnered with FlyFreely. The FlyFreely team stood out with their upfront honesty and genuine interest in addressing Glencore's challenges.

Key Features Beneficial to Glencore:

Offline Capability: The Field App's functionality in areas with minimal network access revolutionized the way pilots recorded data.
Comprehensive Tracking: From DJI Log captures to visual flight planning and maintenance tracking, every detail of a flight is documented.
Uniformity Across Sites: Regardless of the site size, all sites now operate with the same checklists, schedules, and workflows.
Enhanced Training: The dummy data feature streamlined training, with one site going live just 15 minutes post-training.

The Results

Operational Efficiency: With FlyFreely, disparate systems were consolidated into one. Site rollouts reduced from several months to just two hours.
Safety & Compliance: Pilots now have standardized checklists and JSA’s aligned with CASA-approved operations manuals, leading to safer and more compliant operations.
Cultural Transformation: Beyond technical advantages, FlyFreely facilitated a significant shift in pilot perception. Drones were no longer mere 'tools' but a critical component of Glencore's operations. Pilots now identified first as pilots, enhancing accountability and safety.
Informed Decision-Making: The Chief Remote Pilot can now efficiently monitor and report on operations across the company.