Table of Contents

• Challenges of Drone Point Cloud Generation

• What Is a Cloud-Completed Point Cloud Processing Service?

• Benefits of Leveraging the Cloud

• Deliverables and Features That Can Be Generated

• Use Cases in Construction and Surveying

• Simple Surveying Using LRTK with a Smartphone

• FAQ

Challenges of Drone Point Cloud Generation

In recent years, the construction industry has been focusing on 3D surveying by drone as part of *digital transformation (DX)*. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s *i-Construction* initiative has also encouraged the use of 3D survey data. If you shoot a site from above and generate point cloud data from those photos, you can accurately measure terrain and structures and use the results for as-built control and earthwork volume calculations. However, traditionally, generating high-precision 3D point cloud data from photos required a high-performance PC and expensive specialized software. A point cloud is a three-dimensional model that represents the surface shape of an object as a large number of survey points (a collection of point coordinates). The initial setup cost was a significant burden, and in many cases, even after introducing drones, companies only ended up viewing the photos without taking the step to create 3D models.

Moreover, generating point clouds from more than 100 high-resolution images requires lengthy processing that occupies the PC for a long time. Operating photogrammetry (SfM) software and setting parameters also require specialized knowledge, making it difficult to handle without in-house technicians. Because of these high hurdles, some firms have had to give up on performing detailed terrain model creation and earthwork calculations themselves and instead outsource them.

When outsourced, analysis can take several days to complete and costs can accumulate. On the other hand, if a company can use a cloud service in-house, data processing can be completed on the day of drone flight, and results can be checked that same day. Solutions that meet these needs have begun to appear.

What Is a Cloud-Completed Point Cloud Processing Service?

Recently, cloud-completed drone point cloud processing services have emerged. In Japan, services that automatically convert aerial photos you shot on site into 3D point cloud data by simply uploading them to a cloud platform have begun to be offered. By using these services, you can easily generate point clouds without purchasing dedicated high-spec PCs or software.

The workflow is simple. Access the cloud service website from a web browser and upload the photos taken by the drone. Then, analysis processing for photogrammetry is automatically executed on high-performance servers in the cloud. In this analysis, common points appearing in multiple photos are matched and the three-dimensional coordinates of each point are calculated using the principles of triangulation (Structure from Motion technology). Processing hundreds of photos proceeds efficiently through parallel processing on the server side, and in some cases results can be obtained faster than processing on a conventional PC. Once processing is complete, deliverables such as 3D point clouds and orthomosaic images are output to the cloud, and users can view and download them via a browser. Because heavy computation does not need to be performed on the local PC, you can continue other tasks during processing and productivity is not reduced.

The cloud service provides workflows optimized for analysis, so there is no need to perform difficult settings. As long as basic quality—such as the number of photos and overlap—is ensured, even users without specialized knowledge can obtain high-quality point cloud data. In this way, leveraging the cloud is making advanced data processing for drone surveying significantly more accessible.

Benefits of Leveraging the Cloud

Performing point cloud generation in the cloud offers many advantages compared with traditional methods. The main benefits are summarized below.

• Reduced initial costs: There is no need to purchase high-performance PCs or expensive software, significantly lowering capital investment. For example, whereas equipment investments used to be on the order of hundreds of thousands to millions of yen, removing that burden makes adoption easier for small and medium-sized companies.

• Reduced load on local PCs: Because large photo data processing is handled in the cloud, there is no worry of your PC freezing for long periods. You can proceed with other work in parallel and are freed from the stress of waiting for long processing times.

• Fast processing and scalability: Powerful cloud servers and parallel processing enable heavy analyses to finish in a short time. Large numbers of photos or wide areas can be handled. For example, analyses that take more than half a day on a typical PC can sometimes be completed in a few hours on the cloud. Cloud flexibility also allows parallel processing of multiple site datasets within a single company.

• Accessible from anywhere: The service is accessible via the Internet, so you can upload data and check results from the office, the field, or while traveling. For example, you can send photo data to the cloud immediately after shooting at the site, continue analysis while en route, and have results ready by the time you return to the office.

• Easy data sharing: Generated point clouds and orthomosaic images are stored in secure cloud storage and can be shared online with stakeholders or viewed collaboratively. Large datasets are accumulated in the cloud, so you don’t have to worry about local disk capacity. Also, a dedicated viewer application does not need to be installed on each PC—3D data can be viewed directly in the browser.

• Always use the latest technology: Because the service provider continuously updates analysis algorithms and features, users always benefit from the latest technology. Accuracy improvements and new features are reflected automatically with updates, so users do not need to perform cumbersome software updates.

• Robust support system: Domestic cloud services offer the reassurance of thorough Japanese-language support and implementation assistance. Questions on operation or troubleshooting can be consulted immediately, allowing beginners to start using the service with confidence.

Deliverables and Features That Can Be Generated

Cloud-based point cloud generation services can automatically generate not just point cloud data but various deliverables useful for surveying and design. Representative outputs include the following.

• 3D point cloud data: High-density colored point clouds are generated from drone photos. By combining positioning information from RTK-enabled drones or ground control points, you can obtain high-precision point clouds with accurate absolute coordinates assigned to each point. Generated point cloud data can be exported in standard formats such as LAS for use in other CAD software and analysis tools.

• Orthomosaic images: Photos taken over a wide area from above are stitched to create distortion-free nadir-view orthomosaic images. These coordinate-referenced overview images can be used as survey drawings.

• Digital Surface Models (DSM) and contour lines: Elevation data of the ground surface can be extracted from generated point clouds to create grid-format DSMs and contour maps at specified intervals. These can be used directly as topographic maps.

• Various measurement functions: In the cloud point cloud viewer, you can measure the distance between any two points, calculate the area of an enclosed region, and compute volumes, elevation differences, and slopes. For example, the volume of an embankment can be automatically calculated by setting a reference plane on the point cloud. Even without special CAD software, you can quickly read required dimensional information on the web.

• Cross-section creation (DXF output): Cross-sections along arbitrary section lines can be extracted from point cloud data and automatically converted into CAD drawings. Generated cross-sections can be downloaded in DXF format for direct use in design comparison or report preparation.

• Overlay with design data: Design models or drawing data can be overlaid on 3D point clouds to visualize differences between as-built conditions and design plans. The service supports output of color difference maps recommended by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s as-built control guidelines (draft), helping to detect construction defects early. Functions such as color-coding deviations between the designed shape and the current condition strongly support construction management and inspection tasks.

Use Cases in Construction and Surveying

Cloud-completed drone point cloud generation services are expected to be utilized across a variety of industries and tasks. They will be especially effective in the following fields.

• Construction and civil engineering: Drone surveying can be used for as-built control and earthwork volume calculations at construction sites. For example, by calculating embankment and excavation volumes from point clouds captured during earthworks, progress management and as-built reporting can be streamlined. As-built measurements that used to take several days by hand can be completed on the same day from shooting to cloud processing using drones, enabling faster decision-making. This 3D surveying approach also aligns with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s *i-Construction* initiative and contributes to advanced site management.

• Surveying firms and construction consultants: Because 3D deliverables can be created quickly and affordably, operational efficiency and competitive service offerings improve. Even without owning expensive workstations or software, firms can entrust large-scale survey data processing to the cloud, shortening delivery times and reducing costs. Automated processing also stabilizes data quality, allowing less-experienced technicians to produce high-quality outputs.

• Municipalities and public organizations: For infrastructure inspections and disaster response, drone-acquired current-condition data can be rapidly converted to 3D. By simply sending site photos to the cloud, detailed terrain models and orthophotos can be obtained within a few hours, quickly assisting in understanding damage and managing facilities. For example, even in a large-scale landslide, recording the situation from above with a drone and calculating collapsed soil volume on the same day allows rapid incorporation into restoration plans. Situations that previously required outsourcing can increasingly be handled in-house without specialized departments.

• Other fields: Use cases are expanding in agriculture and forestry for mapping fields and forests, and in education and research for easily creating 3D models. From vast survey areas to hazardous regions where people cannot enter, creative applications across various fields are possible.

Simple Surveying Using LRTK with a Smartphone

In addition to cloud-based drone point cloud generation, smartphone-based simple surveying methods for easy on-site 3D measurement are also gaining attention. Our company offers LRTK Phone, an innovative system that enables cm level accuracy (half-inch accuracy) 3D surveying using only a smartphone. By attaching a dedicated small antenna to a smartphone and combining high-precision GNSS positioning with the built-in LiDAR scanner and camera, a single person can easily acquire high-precision point cloud data. Simply launch the dedicated app and walk the site with the smartphone in hand to complete 3D point cloud generation on the spot.

For example, parts of a bridge underside or the forest floor that are difficult to capture with a drone can be scanned in detail simply by walking with the LRTK Phone. The ground point cloud data obtained this way has absolute coordinates, so it can be automatically overlaid with point clouds generated by drone. By supplementing drone blind spots with smartphone data, a more complete understanding of the current condition is possible.

For routine simple measurements, you may not even need to fly a drone—everything can be done with a smartphone. Being able to quickly acquire on-site 3D data when needed will greatly improve productivity at sites with frequent surveying tasks. By using the cloud drone point cloud service and LRTK Phone in combination, you can seamlessly handle everything from wide-area mapping to detailed measurements.

Thus, with the advent of cloud-completed services and smartphone surveying technology, drone-based 3D surveying is becoming increasingly accessible. Why not adopt a new workflow that frees you from dependence on high-spec PCs and ride the wave of DX (digital transformation)? You will be liberated from cumbersome PC processing and able to use site data more rapidly. Our LRTK platform robustly supports your surveying workflow reform through these latest technologies. Please note that cloud analysis technology is evolving rapidly, and our LRTK platform will continue to expand its features. We will keep incorporating the latest technology to continuously support your operational efficiency.

FAQ

Q: What kind of users is this service suitable for? A: It is suitable for a wide range of people who want to utilize 3D data from drone surveying, including construction site technicians and civil surveying staff, consultants handling spatial data, and municipal employees managing infrastructure. Small businesses without a dedicated department can also easily introduce the service, so it is recommended for anyone who wants to make effective use of drones. In addition, individual drone operators and small businesses will find it useful as an easy way to achieve advanced 3D surveying.

Q: What deliverables can be obtained from this service? A: The service can automatically generate 3D point cloud data (colored point clouds), high-resolution orthophotos (nadir images), digital surface models (DSM) and contour maps, and DXF cross-section drawings, among other outputs. Since outputs required for surveying and design are available, the acquired data can be directly used for various purposes.

Q: How long does analysis take? A: Processing time varies depending on the number of photos and cloud server load, but for example, point cloud generation for about 100 photos typically completes in around 1 hour. Large projects with around 500 photos are processed in a few hours to half a day. As a guideline, results are generally obtainable within the same day. It is expected that you can obtain results faster than when analyzing on a standalone PC.

Q: Is any special equipment or software required to use the service? A: All you need is a standard PC (or tablet), an Internet connection, and the drone itself. The cloud service is accessible via a web browser, so no dedicated software installation is required. Whether Windows or Mac, as long as the OS can run a browser, it will work fine. A high-performance PC is not necessary—the browser is sufficient because all processing is done on the server side.

Q: Are there restrictions on the drone to be used? A: Photos taken with commercially available aerial photography drones can generally be processed regardless of the model. However, camera resolution and shooting methods are important for generating high-quality point clouds. High-resolution, clear photos with sufficient overlap yield higher-accuracy models. Using an RTK-equipped drone improves positioning accuracy and thus further enhances the surveying accuracy of the generated point clouds.

Q: What level of surveying accuracy can be expected for the generated point clouds? A: Accuracy depends on the drone’s GPS accuracy, flight altitude, and the presence of ground control points. Even with standard GPS-equipped drones, under good conditions you can obtain relative errors on the order of a few cm to a dozen or so cm (a few in to several in), which is sufficient for many applications. With RTK-enabled drones and known ground points, errors can be reduced to the order of a few cm (a few in). With proper accuracy control, the outputs can meet the quality required to be used as deliverables conforming to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s 3D surveying guidelines.

Q: Is advanced specialized knowledge required to operate the service? A: No. As long as you understand how to upload photos, advanced analysis is performed automatically in the cloud, so specialized image analysis skills are not required. The interface and manuals are available in Japanese and designed to be intuitive. By following the guide, even first-time users can operate smoothly. If you have questions, our support team will follow up, so you can start using the service with confidence.

Q: I’m concerned about entrusting data to the cloud. Is security adequate? A: This service implements robust security measures for communication and data storage. Uploaded photos and generated point clouds are encrypted and securely stored on cloud servers. Access rights can be set per user so that only authorized internal members can view the data. Cloud servers are operated in reliable domestic data centers, so you can use the service with confidence even for highly confidential projects.