Accelerate On-site DX with High-Precision GNSS Helmets! Dramatically Improve Construction Productivity

Table of Contents

• What is a GNSS helmet?

• The need for DX pressing on the construction industry

• Why high-precision GNSS helmets accelerate on-site DX

• Key points of productivity improvement with GNSS helmets

• Use cases and benefits of GNSS helmets

• Conclusion: Start on-site DX with simple surveying using LRTK

• FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is a GNSS helmet?

A GNSS helmet is a helmet equipped with high-precision positioning functionality that uses positioning satellites. GNSS is a collective term for multiple national satellite positioning systems including GPS, and it is commonly used for position measurement in smartphones and car navigation systems. However, ordinary standalone positioning typically has errors of several meters (several ft), which does not reach the centimeter-level accuracy required on construction sites. Therefore, GNSS helmets use a correction technology called RTK (Real Time Kinematic) to cancel out errors and determine high-precision positions in real time. An antenna-integrated GNSS receiver mounted on the head captures signals from multiple satellites and, via communication, obtains correction data from reference stations and the quasi-zenith satellite system "Michibiki," enabling position calculation with accuracy within a few centimeters (a few in).

In the past, centimeter-level GNSS surveying equipment meant large, expensive devices handled by specialized surveying teams. Recent technological advances, however, have led to smaller, lighter GNSS receivers and significantly lower prices. As a result, an era has arrived in which high-precision GNSS can be used in forms that workers can easily operate, such as mounting on helmets.

By integrating this GNSS receiver into a work helmet, a worker can perform surveying simply by wearing the helmet and walking the site—imagine a "wearable surveying instrument." Because both hands remain free while moving, there is no need to hold poles or prisms as with traditional surveying instruments, and positional measurements can be taken in parallel with other tasks. The helmet-mounted antennas use ultra-thin types, and when retrofitted to commercially available safety helmets they are designed to minimize impacts on weight and balance. Built-in batteries enable continuous operation for more than half a day (about 12 hours), so there is little worry about running out of charge during a full day on site.

GNSS helmets are used in conjunction with devices such as smartphones via Bluetooth or wireless connections. High-precision position coordinate data acquired by the helmet receiver are transmitted in real time to a smartphone and recorded and displayed on a dedicated app. When a worker moves to a point and taps a button in the app, that point's coordinates are immediately saved. If the app syncs data to the cloud, positioning results can be viewed in real time on a PC at an office located far away. In other words, using a GNSS helmet allows accurate positional information obtained on site to be digitized instantly and shared within the company. In this way, a high-precision GNSS helmet is an innovative tool that integrates surveying equipment and communication devices into a single helmet, strongly supporting on-site digitalization.

The need for DX pressing on the construction industry

Japan's construction industry has long faced challenges in labor productivity. Many on-site tasks rely heavily on manual labor, and with the worsening labor shortage due to an aging and shrinking population, improving individual productivity has become an urgent issue. Moreover, from 2024 the construction industry is subject to limits on overtime under the work style reform-related laws (the so-called "2024 problem"), requiring higher output within limited working hours. Against this backdrop, promoting DX (digital transformation) to improve efficiency and reduce manpower by leveraging digital technologies has become an urgent priority in the construction industry.

Since 2016, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has promoted the "i-Construction" initiative, encouraging ICT use across the entire construction production process from surveying, design, and construction to inspection. The goal is to dramatically improve on-site productivity by proactively adopting new technologies such as drone aerial surveying and construction machinery equipped with machine guidance functions. DX is now indispensable in construction, and companies must digitalize and smartify their sites to remain competitive.

However, a major key to promoting DX is how to acquire and utilize data on site. In environments where paper drawings and handwritten field notebooks were the norm, it is necessary to first capture information as digital data and establish systems to share and analyze it in real time. At the forefront of this effort is the use of high-precision GNSS technology, which can become a trump card for on-site DX. In particular, GNSS helmets that embed GNSS positioning into helmets used daily by everyone on site are attracting attention as a practical solution for promoting DX.

Why high-precision GNSS helmets accelerate on-site DX

Introducing GNSS helmets makes understanding site conditions and managing work data far smarter. Information that used to be conveyed verbally or by radio from foremen or supervisors can now be shared in real time on the cloud based on position data obtained by GNSS helmets. For example, if survey results for a point are uploaded to the cloud on the spot, managers in the office can immediately check the data and issue the next work instructions. The time lag in information transmission between site and office disappears, greatly increasing decision-making speed.

Also, by using high-precision GNSS, analog site records become accumulated as digital data. Daily measurement points and work trajectories are all automatically recorded with coordinate information, proving powerful for as-built management (verification of construction results) and progress management. For example, if you measure heights and positions while walking around the construction area with the helmet, you can later compare those values with the CAD data of the design drawings to check finishing accuracy. There is no longer a need to transcribe handwritten numbers from field notebooks in the office. GNSS helmets realize the DX essentials of "centralized data management" and "real-time sharing" by automatically collecting positioning data.

Furthermore, GNSS helmets have high compatibility with other digital technologies. If linked with a smartphone camera or AR technology, design target points and lines can be overlaid on site images. This allows workers to intuitively grasp target positions, improving efficiency and reducing mistakes in stakeout tasks. Accurate position information from GNSS serves as the foundation for AR navigation, enabling even inexperienced workers to perform high-precision tasks guided digitally. Because each worker’s current position can be constantly monitored, it is also possible to detect entry into hazardous areas with alerts or quickly identify locations for rescue in the event of a disaster, thus enhancing safety management.

In these ways, high-precision GNSS helmets are powerful devices for promoting on-site DX. With human movement and survey data digitized and shared on the cloud, site management practices will change dramatically. Rapid decision-making based on real-time data, location-independent remote supervision, and improved safety are just some of the DX benefits they provide.

Key points of productivity improvement with GNSS helmets

So what specific productivity improvements can be achieved by introducing GNSS helmets? Here are the main points.

• Significant reduction in working time: With a GNSS helmet you can start positioning immediately after powering on, and high-precision measurements are possible in just a few tens of seconds. Unlike traditional optical surveying instruments, there is no need to spend time setting up equipment or establishing reference points—surveying can begin the moment you decide to measure. Waiting times are reduced and the time required for measurements themselves is greatly shortened.

• Single-person surveying: Total stations typically required two-person teams, but with a GNSS helmet a single worker can acquire measurement points one after another. There is no need to assign assistants or staff with specialized surveying skills to the site, allowing few people to handle many surveying tasks. If surveying was outsourced due to a lack of personnel, outsourcing costs and scheduling hassles can be reduced.

• Easy operation so anyone can measure: GNSS helmets offer intuitive operation via smartphone connectivity. Without dedicated surveying equipment or controllers, you can start positioning and save data with a single tap from a familiar smartphone app. Because there is no need to learn complicated device operations, untrained site staff can use it immediately, preventing surveying work from being concentrated on the few members with surveying skills.

• Fewer re-measurements: RTK centimeter-level positioning yields reliable data in a single pass. In situations that previously required careful re-measurement due to large errors, GNSS helmets can provide accurate results instantly. Reworking such as repositioning pile-driving points or rechecking as-built conditions is reduced, suppressing rework and smoothing overall construction progress.

• Cover wide areas nimbly: The small, lightweight GNSS helmet allows workers to walk the site and take measurement points without carrying heavy tripods. As long as satellite signals reach even obstructed terrain, positioning is possible, enabling wide areas to be surveyed quickly without repeatedly setting up equipment. Surveys that used to take a full day can be completed in less than half a day, for example.

• Automated data processing: Positioning data obtained by the GNSS helmet are electronically recorded on the spot, and apps automatically perform coordinate transformations and plotting. Because there is no need to write in paper field notebooks or perform coordinate calculations and CAD input in the office, the time for post-survey data organization is drastically reduced. You can reflect measurements in drawings or proceed to quantity calculations on the same day, preventing delays to subsequent processes.

• Improved safety: Increased efficiency directly contributes to improved safety. Shorter surveying times reduce exposure to heat or hazardous areas, lowering the risk of heatstroke and accidents. Surveys in operating heavy machinery areas or on busy roads can be completed more quickly, making it easier to evacuate safely. Eliminating the need to carry heavy equipment across unstable footing also reduces the risk of falls or dropped objects. The ability to combine efficiency and safety is an important productivity benefit.

As described above, introducing GNSS helmets delivers various efficiency gains in time, personnel, and safety. For the construction industry suffering from chronic labor shortages, these efficiencies contribute not only to productivity improvements but also to responding to work style reforms.

Use cases and benefits of GNSS helmets

GNSS helmets are particularly powerful in surveying and as-built management. For example, when measuring earthwork volumes, workers wearing helmets can walk around embankments or excavation areas and automatically acquire height data at set intervals, instantly calculating approximate volumes. Tasks that once required surveying teams to set up equipment and spend hours can now be completed in just a few tens of minutes. This is a typical example of how 3D surveying and as-built verification on site can be dramatically streamlined.

GNSS helmets are also effective for stakeout tasks such as establishing reference points and pile-driving. Using smartphone AR functions to display design points over the real scenery reduces much of the work of comparing drawings and setting batter boards or marking lines. Even inexperienced technicians can determine pile-driving positions with high accuracy by following digital guidance, making re-measurements and rework almost unnecessary.

They are also valuable for safety management and remote monitoring. If location information from every worker’s helmet is transmitted in real time, supervisors can monitor all workers’ movements from the office. In the event of a disaster or accident, knowing each person’s whereabouts immediately allows accurate instructions to be issued and speeds up initial response. Visualizing the positions of all workers in this way contributes to a safer, more secure working environment.

Conclusion: Start on-site DX with simple surveying using LRTK

High-precision GNSS helmets are technologies that strongly support DX and productivity improvement in the construction industry. Tasks that once depended on the intuition and experience of skilled workers become visible and quantifiable, enabling more objective and efficient site management. Even civil engineering and construction sites that lag in IT adoption are beginning to see steady waves of change by incorporating these latest devices.

This advanced technology is now surprisingly easy to introduce. For example, by using [LRTK](https://www.lrtk.lefixea.com/) (Lefixea’s GNSS positioning solution), anyone can start simple surveying with a dedicated GNSS terminal and a smartphone app. A variety of high-precision GNSS receivers, including helmet types, are available to suit different uses and can be introduced on site in an optimal form. No complex operations are required, and the simplicity that allows immediate use is also attractive. It may be a good idea to pilot on a small-scale site first to experience the effects.

On-site DX cannot be achieved overnight, but small innovations accumulated over time lead to great leaps. Digitizing measurements with high-precision GNSS helmets is a highly effective first step. If you have not yet experienced this new surveying style, why not try it? Let’s adopt cutting-edge technology on site and work together to forge the future of the construction industry.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: How do GNSS helmets achieve high-precision positioning? A: The GNSS receiver built into the helmet receives signals from multiple satellites and uses the RTK method to correct positioning errors, achieving centimeter-level accuracy. The GNSS receiver receives correction information distributed from reference stations or satellites in real time and cancels out satellite signal deviations to calculate a highly accurate current position.

Q: What is needed to use a GNSS helmet? A: You need the GNSS helmet itself, a compatible smartphone (or tablet), and a dedicated positioning application. For high-precision positioning, a means to receive correction information is also required. If you use an RTK correction service delivered via the Internet, a mobile communication environment on site is necessary. On the other hand, models that support the augmentation signals (CLAS) provided by the quasi-zenith satellite Michibiki can obtain correction information directly from satellites even when out of communication range.

Q: What level of positioning accuracy can be obtained? A: Under good conditions, horizontal positioning errors of a few centimeters (a few in) and vertical accuracy on the order of a few centimeters to a dozen or so centimeters (a few in to a dozen or so in) can be expected. This is markedly more accurate than general GPS positioning, but accuracy may degrade depending on satellite signal reception conditions. Open outdoor environments offer high accuracy, whereas areas between tall buildings or inside forests where satellites are difficult to capture can cause unstable positioning.

Q: Can GNSS helmets be used where satellite signals cannot reach (indoors or in tunnels)? A: GNSS positioning fundamentally requires reception of radio waves from satellites, so it cannot be used indoors, underground, or inside tunnels. In those locations, measurements must be made using other methods such as conventional optical surveying instruments or laser scanners. However, there is ongoing exploration of combining GNSS with indoor positioning technologies such as UWB (ultra-wideband) or existing Wi-Fi. While standalone GNSS helmets are primarily for outdoor use, the coverage area may expand in the future by combining various technologies.

Q: Do I need specialized knowledge to operate it? A: No. Basic operations are completed via a smartphone app, and positioning and recording can be done by simply pressing buttons, so advanced specialized knowledge is not required. Even first-time users should be able to measure without problems by following the manual. However, if you plan to submit surveying data as formal drawings or construction deliverables, specialized knowledge such as handling coordinate systems and precision management can be helpful. It is advisable to start with simple on-site surveying and gradually deepen your understanding.