Sphere helped Yancoal expand its BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) drone operations in Australia from weekday-only flights to full 7-day coverage in a matter of weeks by taking advantage of CASA's Broad Area BVLOS TMI, and deployment of the Sphere HubT dock system.
This avoided the typical 6 to 12 month wait required for a standard CASA BVLOS approval variation, and allowed co-operation of the Sphere HubT dual dock system.
As a result, Yancoal was able to benefit from faster operational coverage, reduced reliance on internal crews, and immediate value from a DJI Dock 3 remote deployment.
For large operators, BVLOS drone operations are often limited by approval timelines rather than aircraft or infrastructure requirements.
Yancoal wanted additional operational coverage beyond their existing weekday schedule and manning, so they could capture business critical data across the weekend.
Extending BVLOS scope through the traditional CASA pathway requires a formal application and staged assessment. Depending on complexity and regulatory workload, this process can take 6 to 12 months or even longer.
That timeline slows operational momentum. It limits flexibility and forces planning decisions around approval timing rather than business need.
Yancoal was ready to expand. Waiting up to a year was not aligned with their operational goals.
Yancoal has a full BVLOS approval through the traditional CASA pathway. Sphere utilised it’s Broad Area BVLOS Temporary Management Instrument approval to enable weekend coverage through the Sphere Remote Operations Centre (ROC).
This process was completed within two weeks, compared to the typical 6 to 12 month timeframe for a full BVLOS approval.
The Broad Area BVLOS TMI allows CASA-approved operators to assess a site against a defined set of operating criteria and commence compliant BVLOS operations without waiting for a full site-specific approval, provided the conditions are met.
Sphere conducted a structured operational assessment of the Yancoal site, including:
With the regulatory pathway unlocked, Sphere worked with Yancoal to implement a reliable Dock-based operating model using DJI Dock 3, supported by Sphere’s HubT system and Remote Operations Centre.
This combined approach provided more than just a faster approval pathway. It delivered an operational setup that could be deployed quickly, run consistently, and scale over time, with both Yancoal and Sphere co-managing compliance requirements and the day to day delivery of remote BVLOS operations.
Rather than waiting for regulatory expansion before commencing operations, coverage provided by the Sphere ROC was enabled on deployment of the HubT system.
The introduction of Broad Area BVLOS meant approval timelines no longer dictated when operations could begin.
Yancoal successfully extended BVLOS operations to support 7 day coverage whilst Sphere supported site with co-operation of the Sphere HubT system through the Sphere ROC.
Broad Area BVLOS reduced what is typically a 6 to 12 month expansion timeline to a matter of weeks, allowing Yancoal to begin weekend operations sooner.
As a result, Yancoal gained:
Broad Area BVLOS isn’t a workaround, it’s a capability enabled by CASA that allows approved operators to safely scale BVLOS operations.
Sphere holds Broad Area BVLOS approval and understands how to apply it in real mining environments where regulation, safety, and operational delivery need to align.
Yancoal engaged Sphere as we bring:
Most importantly, Sphere removes friction between regulatory approval and operational delivery, helping enterprise teams scale BVLOS operations faster, with confidence.
If you would like to find out more about HubT and how it can take your operations to the next level, get in touch with our team or give us a call on 1800 119 111.
