In-seam drilling is conducted mainly to drain coal of gas and/or water prior to development or extraction. The
requirements of inseam drilling for gas drainage have mainly surpassed the technical limits of rotary drilling and are
mainly being addressed by guided down hole motor drilling, albeit at a higher cost. There is an increasing application of
in-seam drilling to detect geological structures or other hazards or their absence in advance of mining to reduce the risks
of underground mining. Close collaboration between miners, drillers, geologists, researchers and suppliers over the last
four years has seen many advances made to improve the accuracy and reliability of inseam drilling. With such
developments will come closer control over the ventilation and safety of future mining under deep gassy conditions, but
not without costs. The paper summarises the current applications of inseam drilling, recent technological advances and the
next generation survey and geophysical sensing tools which are currently being developed