Centralize Construction Records with LRTK Cloud! How to Utilize Photos and Point Cloud Data

Table of Contents

• What is LRTK Cloud? Benefits of Centralizing Construction Records

• How to Effectively Use Photo Data in the Cloud

• How to Effectively Use Point Cloud Data in the Cloud

• Effects of Using LRTK Cloud and the Outlook for On-site DX

What is LRTK Cloud? Benefits of Centralizing Construction Records

Construction records generated daily on-site (survey data, photo records, etc.) have until now been managed in a dispersed manner across individual PCs, USB drives, and paper ledgers. As a result, the risk of not knowing where the latest data is or files becoming scattered or lost is ever-present. Sharing data with colleagues or subcontractors also required email attachments or physical media exchange, making timely information sharing difficult.

One promising solution to these issues is centralized management using cloud services. If data acquired on-site is uploaded to the cloud, it can be shared instantly via the Internet and also serve as a backup. In other words, by consolidating construction records in the cloud, you create an environment where the entire team can always refer to the latest information, greatly reducing information transmission lag. In fact, with the momentum of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s *i-Construction*, digital management and immediate sharing of site records have become important themes in the construction industry.

Enter LRTK Cloud. LRTK Cloud is a cloud service integrated with the high-precision positioning system for construction and surveying, the “LRTK series,” allowing safe storage and sharing of on-site coordinate data, photos, 3D point cloud data, and more on the Internet. Position information and 3D data obtained with the high-precision GNSS device that attaches to a smartphone, the “LRTK Phone,” or with the dedicated app can be synced to the cloud with a single button. By centralizing on-site construction records in LRTK Cloud, you can resolve the aforementioned problems of data dispersion and information sharing, dramatically improving work efficiency.

For example, in as-built management (the process of confirming that constructed items conform to the design), surveyors traditionally had to bring height and position information home on a USB and check it against drawings on an office PC. After introducing LRTK Cloud, measured coordinates obtained on-site can be immediately sent to the cloud, allowing the office to check the numbers in real time. If a deviation from the specified elevation is found, instructions can be sent to the site immediately to prevent rework. Such immediate sharing via the cloud brings major benefits for quality assurance and work efficiency.

This article explains how to use LRTK Cloud and, in particular, provides an easy-to-understand guide for beginners on effective ways to utilize photo data and point cloud data. Understand the benefits of centralizing construction records in the cloud and use this as a first step toward on-site DX (digital transformation).

How to Effectively Use Photo Data in the Cloud

Many photo files accumulate on-site for progress records and inspections. With LRTK Cloud, a key feature is that you can automatically link and manage photo records on a map. Photos taken with a smartphone can be uploaded to the cloud via the LRTK app along with the coordinate information of the shooting location. Uploaded photos are plotted on the cloud map as icons at the shooting locations, so you can tell at a glance “where the photo was taken.” Since the shooting date and time are also recorded for each photo, you can easily review when and where a construction condition was photographed.

For example, suppose a site supervisor photographs the rebar arrangement before concrete placement or the state of buried piping with a smartphone and immediately records it to the cloud. The quality control personnel at headquarters can then check those photos on the cloud from the office and confirm whether the work was performed correctly. Photos have memo fields where comments such as “Rebar inspection completed on MM/DD” or “Correction required” can be added. Precautions that were previously conveyed verbally or by phone can now be visualized together with photos in the cloud, allowing all stakeholders to share the same information. This helps prevent human error and eliminate omissions in information transfer, improving construction management accuracy.

LRTK Cloud also provides folder structures and tagging functions for organizing data. If photo data is categorized into folders such as “inspection photos” and “as-built records,” it becomes easier to find needed images later. You can also freely tag each photo with labels like “bridge,” “tunnel,” or “pavement” and search or filter by tag. By organizing accumulated data systematically, you can quickly access the target information even from a vast photo archive. Regularly cleaning up old unnecessary files also prevents wasteful use of storage.

In infrastructure inspection work, cloud sharing of photo data is also powerful. For periodic inspections of bridges and roads, it is important for inspectors to photograph cracks or deterioration they find and record the location. With LRTK Cloud, each inspection photo is tagged with cm level accuracy (half-inch accuracy) position coordinates, so you can accurately grasp “which part of which bridge pier has what kind of damage” remotely. If you record crack widths or damage assessments in memos along with the photos, the office side can display a list and smoothly prioritize repairs and arrange materials. Photo data accumulated in the cloud can be searched by date or keyword, which is useful when looking for past similar cases or tracking changes over time.

Thus, by using LRTK Cloud, photo data can be utilized not just as records but as valuable information assets. Map-linked photo management enables intuitive sharing of site conditions and strengthens coordination between the office and the field.

How to Effectively Use Point Cloud Data in the Cloud

In recent years, opportunities to acquire 3D point cloud data using laser scanners, drones, or smartphone LiDAR functionality have increased on-site. Point cloud data represents structures and terrain as a 3D dataset of countless measurement points (a cloud of points). Traditionally, point clouds had large file sizes and required specialized software for processing, making internal sharing and analysis cumbersome. However, with LRTK Cloud, such large point cloud datasets can also be centrally managed and shared in the cloud.

Point clouds acquired with features like the LRTK app’s smartphone scanning function can be uploaded to the cloud on-site. After uploading, the 3D point cloud can be viewed in a browser from an office PC. There is no need to install a dedicated viewer—via a web browser you can freely rotate and zoom the point cloud 360 degrees for inspection. Additionally, on LRTK Cloud you can use analysis tools to measure distances and areas on point clouds and calculate volumes. For example, automatically calculating the volume of sediment from a collapsed slope’s point cloud can help with initial disaster response decisions. Even personnel with limited surveying knowledge can obtain necessary figures through intuitive cloud operations, so situations where analysis can be completed on-site without handing data to a specialist department are likely to increase.

LRTK Cloud also offers functions that connect consecutively acquired coordinate point clouds on the cloud as lines to generate longitudinal profiles of road surfaces and cross-sections of structures. This makes it possible to visually grasp displacements such as road subsidence or bridge deflection and streamlines the creation of inspection reports.

Furthermore, LRTK Cloud allows multiple point cloud datasets or 3D models to be displayed overlaid simultaneously. For example, on a large-scale earthwork site where multiple teams acquire point clouds for each area and upload them to the cloud, you can overview the integrated data for all areas within the same day. This eliminates the need to manually merge data later and provides an overall picture at the end of the day’s work. The team can perform quality checks and identify missing areas on the same day, and if deficiencies are found they can be reflected in additional surveying plans for the next day, resulting in overall project efficiency gains.

Of course, you can export point cloud data from the cloud in common file formats as needed. Survey coordinate data can be downloaded in CSV format, and point cloud data in LAS or XYZ formats, allowing import into existing CAD or BIM software. Conversely, uploading design drawings or 3D models to LRTK Cloud and overlaying them with point clouds for comparison is a use case likely to expand. LRTK Cloud already supports overlay display with BIM/CIM models and drawing data, supporting integrated use of site and design data.

In addition, in the cloud you can easily perform processing such as noise removal and cropping of unnecessary parts from point cloud data. Because simple editing can be done on the web without expensive third-party point cloud processing software, even a site office with only a small notebook PC has no problem. With data secured in the cloud, you can utilize the latest 3D data from anywhere without needing a high-spec PC, which is another major advantage.

Effects of Using LRTK Cloud and the Outlook for On-site DX

As described above, centralizing construction records (survey coordinates, photos, point cloud data) with LRTK Cloud significantly smooths data sharing between the field and the office. The effects can be summarized as follows.

• Faster decision-making through real-time sharing: Because data obtained on-site can be shared immediately via the cloud, confirmation and judgment on the office side become faster. If problems arise, they can be discovered and instructed on the same day, helping to minimize rework.

• Reduced risk of data loss and reliable backups: Important records are continuously stored in the cloud, so even if a device is lost or fails, the risk of data loss is greatly reduced. Compared to when data was stored locally only, the peace of mind of having automatic backups at all times is a major benefit.

• Improved productivity through cross-departmental and cross-role information sharing: Not only survey staff but also stakeholders in design, construction management, and maintenance can view the same data, smoothing internal and external coordination. Constant access to the latest version eliminates the waste of searching for “who has the latest data?” As a result, team productivity improves.

• Data utilization without specialized software: Since map display and 3D viewer functions are available in the browser, you don’t need to install special CAD software or viewers on each PC. For example, you can compare drawings and point clouds or check photos from a field notebook PC or tablet. This establishes an environment where site data can be accessed from anywhere while reducing software license costs.

• Accumulation of organizational knowledge and human resource development: Past survey data, photos, and memos accumulated in the cloud can be used as shared knowledge within the company. Know-how that used to rely on individuals’ experience can be recorded, allowing younger engineers to learn by referring to veterans’ records. Information assets permeate the organization and contribute to long-term skill development.

• Seamless workflow with the LRTK series: Especially when using LRTK Phone devices and the LRTK app, cloud integration connects positioning → recording → sharing → analysis in one stop. Consolidating previously separate tasks reduces data entry and transcription work. For example, points measured with the LRTK app—coordinates, photos, and memos—are automatically reflected in the cloud and can be output into reports, dramatically speeding up the creation of on-site records.

These effects accelerate on-site DX (digital transformation). By building an information platform in the cloud, remote witnessing and data-driven construction management become easier to realize. In practice, LRTK Cloud can be a powerful tool supporting “smart construction” in the i-Construction era.

Finally, it should not be overlooked that LRTK Cloud not only manages data but also simplifies the surveying work itself on-site. Using LRTK series GNSS devices and smartphone apps makes it possible for one person to easily perform high-precision surveying and immediately share that data to the cloud. Survey tasks that previously required a transit or large GPS equipment can now be completed with a single smartphone as “simple surveying,” greatly reducing the burden on the site. The LRTK app also includes navigation (coordinate guidance) to measurement points, guiding the user on-screen to target coordinates specified in the cloud. This enables a single person to accurately stake out positions for piling or installations and helps improve efficiency in as-built measurement and batter board checks. In short, the strength of LRTK is that it can provide a one-stop workflow from data acquisition to management. By leveraging such cloud-integrated solutions, you can break away from traditional inefficient work and achieve true on-site DX.

FAQ

Q1. What do I need to use LRTK Cloud? A. To use the service, you need to register a user account for LRTK Cloud. For newly measuring data on-site, an iPhone/iPad, the high-precision GNSS receiver “LRTK Phone,” and the dedicated LRTK app are ideal. Using these, measurement through cloud sharing can be performed seamlessly. However, if you already have survey coordinate lists or point cloud data acquired with other devices, you can also upload and manage/view files directly from a PC browser to LRTK Cloud.

Q2. How can photos and point cloud data be uploaded to the cloud? A. The simplest method is to upload directly from the LRTK app on-site. After positioning or scanning with a smartphone equipped with LRTK Phone, simply press the “Sync to Cloud” button in the app and the data will be sent to your account on the cloud. There is no need to worry if you are out of coverage—data will sync later when you move to a place with Internet access. You can also access the LRTK Cloud web interface from a PC and upload photo images or point cloud files (LAS/XYZ, etc.) by drag & drop.

Q3. What can I do on LRTK Cloud? A. On the LRTK Cloud web interface, you can use various functions such as map display and 3D display of uploaded data. Measured coordinate points and tracks are plotted on the map, and you can list coordinate values, elevations, and memos for each point. Photo data can be viewed from map icons or a thumbnail list, and clicking enlarges the image with shooting direction. Point cloud data can be displayed in a 3D viewer and used to measure distances and areas or calculate volumes. In addition, tools for measuring distances between arbitrary points, creating cross-sections, and removing unnecessary points from point clouds are provided to analyze and utilize site data on the cloud. Even without specialized CAD software, these features can be used as long as you have a browser.

Q4. Is data sharing and security safe? A. Yes. LRTK Cloud can issue restricted-access links for sharing data, so you can simply provide a URL to stakeholders to share viewing permissions (links can be password-protected or set to expire). Recipients can view and download the data in their browser without logging in to LRTK Cloud. From a security standpoint, communication to the cloud is encrypted and data centers are strictly managed. Even if a site device fails or is lost, data remains in the cloud for reassurance. Automatic backup systems are also in place to safely store important construction records for long periods.

Q5. Can I use it at construction sites without Internet? A. Immediate cloud syncing is not possible, but you can perform positioning and photography with the LRTK app and save the data on the device in offline environments. Then, when you later move to a place with network access, you can sync everything at once, reflecting the on-site recorded data in the cloud. In other words, data collection itself can be performed even at sites outside coverage such as mountainous areas or inside tunnels, and you can upload everything when you return to the office. Once data is uploaded to the cloud, it can be shared immediately with office members, enabling timely information sharing after returning from an off-coverage environment.