Tailings pond safety monitoring is vital for preventing dam failures and ensuring environmental safety.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can enhance tailings pond monitoring with flexible operational
cycles and the ability to collect remote sensing data from inaccessible areas. While many mining
operations have adopted UAVs for tailings pond management, their full potential in data acquisition
and subsequent analytical processing remains largely untapped. This paper explores various case
studies where UAVs have been utilised for monitoring key aspects of tailings ponds such as beach
line indicators, dam displacement and erosion, slurry discharge processes, and tailings pond
capacity. We also present examples where data derived from UAVs have been instrumental in slope
stability analysis, seepage modelling, Tailings Dam Breach Analysis (TDBA), and risk prediction. By
integrating UAV technology with traditional ground-based sensor techniques, this approach
significantly enhances the precision and reliability of hazard prevention and management in tailings
pond operations.