As technology advances, machines are increasingly replacing people in jobs that involve dangerous conditions. One such job in the mining industry requires sending miners deep underground without fully understanding the stability of the work environment.

Clickmox Solutions is developing a system that enables unexplored cavities of underground mines to be surveyed before miners begin any work in the area. The Sudbury-based company works with the mining and industrial sectors, providing product development and service in the areas of three-dimensional scanning robotics, geotechnical monitoring and much more.

Through a project with ENCQOR, Clickmox Solutions is using 5G to test the capabilities of their system and determine whether miners can safely operate underground drones and other machines from the surface. Running the systems over 5G networks, the project is testing underground drones operated from the surface with continuous high-bandwidth and low latency connectivity of about 10ms or less.

“This system is a step change in the technology. With this project, we’ll be able to demonstrate it to new clients and offer a solution that is currently non-existent,” says Syed Naeem Ahmed, President and Founder, Clickmox Solutions. “This technology is going to bring a new dimension to the industry and make things a lot easier for the mining industry and potentially other industries as well.”

The company expects to add jobs at it continues to develop and demonstrate the breakthrough technology to both existing and new clients.