Harnessing UAV Technology to Improve Mine Rehabilitation Outcomes

Quality mine rehabilitation is about delivering measurable outcomes for the environment, regulators, and communities. At Verterra, we’re helping mining companies take mine rehabilitation to the next level using drone-based NDVI and multispectral imagery to monitor ground cover development more accurately, more frequently, and more cost-effectively than traditional methods. 

A Better Way to Monitor Rehab Sites 

Traditional rehab monitoring relies on infrequent site visits, transect sampling, and visual assessments—methods that can be: 

• Time-consuming and expensive 

• Constrained by site access and safety 

• Reactive instead of proactive 

Using multispectral drones flown by trained and licensed operators, Verterra supports mining teams to monitor rehabilitation with high-resolution NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) and MSAVI (Modified Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index) data across entire sites. Our drone-based NDVI and multispectral imagery enables data to be delivered quickly, calibrated with on-ground truthing, and aligned with industry performance criteria. 

Verterra’s Technical Services Lead and Chief UAV Pilot, Ben Silverwood setting up one of our drones

Case Study: Site-Wide Coverage, Early Intervention 

In a recent project, Verterra partnered with an on-site drone team to deliver detailed data and mapping to identify underperforming areas: 

• On-site client teams used their own licensed drone pilots to collect weekly multispectral and RGB imagery of the rehabilitation area. 

• Imagery was processed on site and passed to Verterra for vegetation classification. This was completed using calibrated NDVI and MSAVI values to reflect ground cover with up to 10 cm resolution. 

• Data was aggregated into 1m cells, providing robust, site-wide reporting aligned with traditional quadrat sampling and regulatory performance standards. 

• Red/amber/green mapping gave stakeholders immediate insight into areas exceeding or falling short of rehab targets. 

The outcome? Underperforming areas were identified early—while equipment was still mobilised—enabling the on-site teams to act quickly and cost-effectively through: 

• Re-seeding or early watering 

• Soil amendment or amelioration 

• Timely rework of exposed subsoil 

This meant more effective interventions, lower rework costs, and better compliance outcomes. 

Why It Works for the Mining Sector 

By pairing drone capability with Verterra’s ecological engineering expertise, you can: 

• Capture full-site rehab performance more frequently 

• Minimise mobilisation of consultants 

• Improve safety and access by reducing ground-based monitoring 

• Archive robust time series imagery and data for reporting 

• Act early to fix problems before they become non-compliant 

And because our methods are designed to integrate with regulatory performance metrics, you get quantified assurance that your site is progressing towards its closure and compliance goals. 

Build Confidence in Your Rehabilitation Outcomes 

Verterra is Australia’s leading ecological engineering company. For over 20 years, we’ve worked with industry leaders to design and deliver nature-based solutions for the mining sector that meet stringent ESG goals while unlocking new forms of value. 

Whether you're managing large-scale post-mining landforms or progressive rehabilitation across operational areas, Verterra's drone imagery and ground cover monitoring services provide the insights you need to stay ahead. 

Get in touch to discuss how we can help you enhance the performance, efficiency, and credibility of your mine site rehabilitation.