Rotary drilling uses a sharp, rotating drill bit to dig down through the Earth’s crust. Much like a common hand-held drill, the spinning of the drill bit allows for penetration of even the hardest rock.
The idea of using a rotary drill bit is not new. Archeological records show that as early as 3000 B.C., the Egyptians may have been using a similar technique. Leonardo Di Vinci, as early as 1500, developed a design for a rotary drilling mechanism that bears much resemblance to technology used today. Despite these precursors, rotary drilling did not rise in use or popularity until the early 1900s.