The company states it is continuing to make good progress in relation to the construction of its drill rig. In this regard, it has recently successfully switched on the engine of the drill rig for the first time at the company's 20,000sq.ft facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

This marks an important step for the company on the way towards factory completion of the drill rig and the subsequent production of the drill rig as well as ultimately, the advancement of efficiency, safety and sustainability in the drilling industry.

To date, reverse circulation (RC) drilling has been characterised by a lack of automation due to the complexities of the systems required and the harsh conditions in which these machines operate. The company's RC drill rigs are being developed to remove operators from the dangers that are involved in traditional RC drill rigs.

Derek Loughlin, CTO at Tribe Tech, said: "We continue to make strong progress in relation to the company's first generation autonomous TTDS 700 GC drill rig and ultimately, towards creating a safer, more efficient work environment through the use of fully autonomous and safe drill rigs. This is demonstrated by the continued testing and most recently, the successful engine ignition of our first autonomously operated drill rig."  

Got a story? Email: duncan.moore@aspermont.com