Automated drilling arrangement

An automated drilling arrangement comprising:

• a platform;
• a drill pipe loading assembly arranged on the platform and including a cradle for receiving drill pipe section, and a handler assembly configured automatically to displace and orientate said drill pipe section from the cradle into an upright position for engagement with a drill string;
• and
• a drilling mast arranged on the platform and comprising a rotary head drive displaceable along the mast to effect drilling, and a drill pipe manipulator configured automatically to receive, align and connect said section of drill pipe from the handler assembly with a drill string of the rotary head drive to facilitate automated drilling by the automated drilling arrangement;
• wherein said drill pipe manipulator comprises at least two pipe clamp pairs layered on each other, the pipe clamp pairs each configured individually and selectively to clamp or release an end of two separate drill pipe sections and individually and selectively to rotate co-axially about an end of a drill pipe section, to facilitate automatic threaded interconnection of such two successive drill pipe sections;
• whereby each pipe clamp pair is operable to effect controlled threaded engagement and disengagement of successive drill pipe sections during automated drilling operations;
• wherein each of the at least two pipe clamp pairs is individually operable and not mechanically linked for synchronous rotation, thereby enabling selective threaded engagement of successive drill pipe sections;
• and
• wherein the drill pipe manipulator comprises at least one pipe aligner layered on a pipe clamp pair and which is configured to align an end of one drill pipe section with an end of a successive drill pipe section via said pipe aligner configured to displace an end of the drill pipe section laterally and comprising pipe rollers for abutting against a drill pipe section to allow the drill pipe section to move longitudinally through the drill pipe manipulator.