Some aspects of automation in drilling large-size inclined and horizontal boreholes and designing of autopilot control systems for tunneling equipment
Yu.V. Dmitrak1, V.I. Anishchenko2
1 Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
2 SMP Engineering LLC, USA
Russian Mining Industry №5S/ 2025 p. 31-35
Abstract: The article analyzes the development of automation in drilling large-size inclined and horizontal boreholes and designing of autopilot control systems for tunneling equipment. It describes a fundamentally new approach to control tunnel boring machines and drilling rigs. Using the case of a virtual simulator of a slurry-type tunnel boring machine developed by the authors, they propose an algorithm for creating autopilot control systems for tunneling equipment. An example of fully automatic operation of a pipe thruster rig designed by Vasily I. Anishchenko is provided. The presented autopilot system allows programming the tunnelling and drilling machines using a binary code and displaying conditional dependencies at a basic level. Further research by the authors will focus on solving the challenge of displaying several hundred dependencies of the machine parameters on the geological or other tunnelling conditions. The authors suggest that the tunnelling and drilling machines should determine the type of soil on their own and make decisions based on a set of drilling characteristics. The operator will only monitor the smooth travel of the unit and, in case of trouble, switch over to manual control.
Keywords: bore hole drilling, diagram for controlling working parameters, tunnel boring machine, digital add-on for autonomous operation, artificial intelligence, pipe thruster rig, virtual simulator, tunnel boring machine
For citation: Dmitrak Yu.V., Anishchenko V.I. Some aspects of automation in drilling large-size inclined and horizontal boreholes and designing of autopilot control systems for tunneling equipment. Russian Mining Industry. 2025;(5S):31–35. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2025-5S-31-35
Article info
Received: 25.08.2025
Revised: 06.10.2025
Accepted: 16.10.2025
Information about the authors
Yury V. Dmitrak – Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Chief Research Associate, Head of Department of Modelling and Management of Mining Systems, Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1278-4845; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Vasily I. Anishchenko – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Executive Director, SMP Engineering LLC, USA; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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