Paper field notebooks are obsolete! Share point cloud data in the cloud to make site information real-time

Table of Contents

• Why are paper field notebooks outdated? Why site DX is needed

• What is point cloud data? How it differs from paper surveying

• Background and benefits of point cloud technology gaining attention

• Benefits of sharing point cloud data in the cloud

• Effects of sharing site information in real time

• Barriers to point cloud adoption and solutions

• How anyone can measure and share point clouds

• Start site DX with simple surveying using LRTK

• FAQ

Why are paper field notebooks outdated? Why site DX is needed

In civil engineering and construction sites, survey results and notes have long been recorded in paper notebooks known as “field notebooks.” Durable and designed for outdoor use, these notebooks have been reliable companions for site work. However, there are limits to relying solely on paper field notebooks. Handwritten notes require time-consuming digitization later and can cause human errors such as transcription mistakes or misreading. There is inevitably a time lag before information gathered on site is shared, which hinders real-time decision making.

Moreover, it is difficult to share rich information such as drawings and photos on paper on the spot, so paper is insufficient for accurately conveying increasingly complex site conditions. For example, subtle terrain undulations or fine structural details are hard to imagine from numbers or plan views alone, and explaining conditions to someone off-site has limits. Information recorded in paper field notebooks tends to remain with the individual site staff, making team-wide sharing and review cumbersome.

Against this background, the construction industry is strongly demanding site DX (digital transformation). Various initiatives, such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “i-Construction,” are promoting digitization of the site from surveying and design through construction management and inspection, accelerating a reevaluation of paper-centric methods. Paper field notebooks are certainly sturdy and convenient tools, but in an era when data are handled digitally and shared instantly, they inevitably fall short in transmission speed and expressive power. To improve site efficiency and productivity, a shift from paper to the cloud has become unavoidable.

What is point cloud data? How it differs from paper surveying

“Point cloud data” refers to a collection of numerous points in three-dimensional space that digitally record the shape of a site. Each point contains X, Y, and Z coordinate values, and when combined with photographs, each point can also carry color (RGB) information. For example, when the surface of terrain or structures is measured with a laser scanner, millions of measurement points can be acquired; plotting these points reproduces the object’s shape. Although it can look like a photo-like precise 3D model at first glance, its true nature is an aggregation of countless points.

In conventional surveying, skilled surveyors measured terrain feature points and key points of structures one by one, recorded them in a paper field notebook, and then created drawings. With point clouds, the entire object can be measured as a surface in one go, eliminating omissions and reducing situations where one later wishes “I should have measured that point too.” Laser scanner surveys can acquire current conditions over wide areas in a short time, and non-contact measurement makes it safe and efficient to record shapes even for complex terrain and large structures. Viewing the resulting detailed point cloud data on a computer provides a 3D view that seems to capture the site as it is.

Point cloud technology has become rapidly more accessible in recent years. It used to require specialized equipment and advanced skills, but now there are more opportunities to acquire point clouds with tools anyone can handle, such as drones and tablets. Beyond civil engineering and surveying, 3D point clouds are expanding into architecture, plant equipment maintenance, disaster site documentation, and cultural heritage preservation. Point cloud data that can digitally copy an entire site can be called a “digital twin” of the real world.

Background and benefits of point cloud technology gaining attention

The reason site point cloud utilization is receiving so much attention is the challenges facing the construction industry and the expectations for digital technology. Amid serious labor shortages, long working hours, and stagnating productivity, 3D point clouds are shining as a trump card for DX (digital transformation). The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is promoting ICT use on sites, and as part of this, drone surveying and mobile point cloud measurement have spread.

Point cloud technology offers the following concrete benefits:

• Overwhelming time savings and labor reduction: The greatest advantage of point cloud measurement is the dramatic improvement in work speed. For example, a surveying task for several hectares of development that took three days with a total station has been completed in two days with a terrestrial laser scanner and in about half a day with drone photogrammetry in some reported cases. In experiments, drone-mounted LiDAR completed a wide-area survey in one-sixth of the time of conventional methods. This can greatly reduce the number of days spent on surveying, freeing up personnel and schedules. There are also cases where field measurement that used to require two people was completed by one person, making it effective as a measure against labor shortages.

• Improved accuracy and coverage: Point clouds can record object shapes densely down to fine details, enabling accurate, comprehensive current-condition understanding with no omissions. It is easy to extract cross sections or plan views from the obtained 3D data as needed, raising the accuracy of design and construction planning. For example, even for old plant equipment without existing drawings, obtaining point cloud data allows later creation of CAD drawings or BIM models. Point clouds that digitally preserve an entire site are therefore highly useful data that can be used consistently from design and construction through maintenance. Because even minor shape differences can be discovered in the data, they help prevent rework and ensure quality.

• Improved safety: Point cloud measurement is non-contact using lasers or photography, so people do not need to enter dangerous areas. High structures or steep slopes at risk of collapse can be measured safely and remotely. This reduces worker risk and can also shorten traffic regulation durations as a secondary effect. High-altitude inspections that previously required safety harnesses can be completed safely and quickly by acquiring point clouds with drones.

These advantages—efficiency, improved accuracy, and enhanced safety—are the primary reasons point cloud technology is attracting attention. As a new tool that can fundamentally reform site operations, many companies are beginning to utilize point clouds.

Benefits of sharing point cloud data in the cloud

To maximize the value of point cloud data, sharing it with stakeholders in the cloud is key. Traditionally, large amounts of point cloud data acquired on site were carried back to the office on USB drives or required long file transfers, making immediate sharing and review difficult. Cloud services can eliminate this time loss. If point cloud data are uploaded via the internet, anyone can access the latest 3D data whether they are in the office or out in the field.

Concrete benefits of sharing point clouds in the cloud include:

• Viewable and operable anywhere: Point cloud data are large and can be difficult to handle without high-performance PCs, but if stored in the cloud you only need a web browser. From office desktops to tablets and smartphones, point clouds can be smoothly displayed in a 3D viewer. Supervisors or clients away from the site can check site details on their own devices.

• Simultaneous sharing among multiple people: Centralizing point cloud data in the cloud allows all stakeholders to view the same latest data. When someone adds new survey data it is immediately reflected for everyone, eliminating the risk of continuing to use an old version. There is no need to repeatedly resend drawings or reports by email; everyone always refers to a single, unified source. By having team members look to a single cloud location instead of each holding separate data, confusion over “which information is the latest?” disappears.

• Sharing rich information: Cloud point cloud viewers can do more than just display point clouds; they can overlay drawing data or BIM/CIM models, link 360-degree camera images taken at each measurement point, and reproduce the entire site in virtual space. Stakeholders can experience conditions as if on site, reducing mismatches in spatial awareness. Some services also provide functions to measure distances or areas in the viewer and leave comments on points of interest, making them effective communication tools.

• No need for high-performance PCs: Large point cloud datasets are managed and processed on the cloud side, so users’ local devices do not need high specs. For example, tens of millions of points can be rendered and streamed in the cloud, allowing office laptops or tablets to handle 3D data smoothly. There is no need to install specialized software or perform complex setups; simply sharing a URL lets anyone view the data.

By sharing data via the cloud, point cloud data can be delivered instantly from the site to the office and utilized concurrently at multiple locations. Site staff and remote engineers can discuss while looking at the same 3D model, dramatically increasing decision-making speed. The cloud acts not merely as storage but as an information hub connecting the site, the office, clients, and subcontractors.

Effects of sharing site information in real time

Using the cloud makes it possible to convey site conditions to stakeholders almost in real time. This enables a workflow of making decisions while sharing the “now” of the site. Traditionally, it was normal to take more than a day to bring survey results back and prepare drawings and reports. But with real-time sharing, for example, point cloud data acquired in the morning can be reviewed by the design team in the afternoon, allowing construction plans to be revised that same day.

Speeding up decision making is the greatest effect of real-time sharing. If unexpected ground abnormalities or discrepancies with the design are discovered on site, you can send the scanned 3D data to the office and consult immediately. Because everyone can discuss while viewing the same screen, subtle nuances that are hard to convey by email or phone are shared, enabling accurate decisions. This prevents rework and construction errors, leading to shorter schedules and cost savings.

Real-time sharing also enhances progress management and emergency response. For large-scale project progress (work quantity) management, regularly scanning the site and visualizing progress in 3D makes it easy to grasp deviations from plan. A project manager in a remote location can view the latest as-built model and give appropriate instructions without being constantly on site. In disasters or accidents, quickly measuring a site with drones and sharing the point cloud data immediately dramatically speeds up situational awareness and initial response. For example, after a slope failure, comparing before-and-after point clouds can instantly calculate lost soil volume and enable rapid recovery planning.

A system for real-time site information sharing is like a live broadcast that seamlessly connects the site and remote bases. With all stakeholders always sharing the latest status, site response speed and accuracy improve dramatically.

Barriers to point cloud adoption and solutions

When point cloud technology first appeared, there were several high barriers to adoption. Equipment was very expensive, making it accessible only to some large companies or specialized firms. Large 3D laser scanners and high-precision GNSS devices required investments of millions of yen, posing a high hurdle for small and medium-sized enterprises. Moreover, processing and editing the huge point cloud datasets required specialized software that was complex to operate, demanding highly skilled technicians. The data sizes were also enormous, making it difficult to handle even on corporate networks, so immediate sharing of site-acquired data was not realistic.

However, these barriers have been steadily lowering. Advances in sensor technology and mass production have reduced equipment costs year by year. Drones and tablet-mounted simple point cloud measurement tools have appeared, enabling on-site 3D data acquisition without relying on expensive specialized equipment. Software has become dramatically easier to use, and intuitive apps and cloud services that allow non-experts to handle point clouds are increasingly available. For example, services that automatically perform point cloud synthesis and analysis just by uploading photos to the cloud have emerged, automating complex processing in the background. National and industry support measures for ICT adoption have also been established, and training and workshops provide opportunities for site staff to learn new technologies.

In short, point cloud technology that was once the domain of specialists is becoming accessible to general construction managers and surveying staff. While there may be concerns about initial investment and learning, starting in stages—such as trialing on small sites—allows you to experience benefits while minimizing risk. The important point is that technological advances have brought point clouds from “seems difficult” and “seems expensive” to a surprisingly easy-to-use level. With this tailwind, now is an excellent time to take the leap into point cloud utilization.

How anyone can measure and share point clouds

Concerns that “point clouds require specialized equipment or knowledge” are increasingly a thing of the past. Today there are many easy ways for site staff to perform point cloud measurements themselves. Representative methods include:

• Using smartphones or tablets: Recent smartphones include LiDAR sensors in some models, and with dedicated apps you can obtain 3D point clouds of the surroundings with simple scans. Using a tablet lets you check scan results in real time on a large screen, enabling on-site quality checks during measurement. While not as precise as dedicated devices, they are practical for grasping indoor spatial shapes or measuring small structures. Attach-on sensors for smartphones have also appeared to improve accuracy, and products that realize high-precision positioning with smartphones are available.

• Using drones for measurement: Drones are powerful for wide-area terrain surveys. The method of mounting a camera on a drone to capture the site from above and creating a point cloud model from the photo set using photogrammetry is now a common civil surveying technique. Specialized 3D scanners for drones allow acquisition of high-density point clouds in cases difficult for photos alone, such as terrain under tree cover or nighttime structure measurements. Aerial surveying captures data thoroughly in a short time, making it highly effective for vast sites or landslide sites.

• Using handheld 3D scanners: Small laser scanners that people can walk around with (handheld SLAM-equipped scanners) have become widespread. Simply carrying and moving the device allows quick scanning of the surroundings, enabling short-time 3D modeling of indoor rooms or complex piping systems. Building surveys that previously required many hand measurements can significantly shorten survey time with handheld scanners. Some devices are backpack-mounted or integrate with smartphones, allowing selection according to the scene.

There are various point cloud measurement methods to match the purpose and scale. Acquired data can be imported to a PC or tablet on site and uploaded to cloud storage or dedicated platforms as needed for immediate team sharing and utilization. Instead of avoiding point clouds as “difficult,” start with familiar tools and small-scale measurements. Handling 3D point clouds yourself will let you directly feel their usefulness.

Start site DX with simple surveying using LRTK

Among the new tools, “LRTK,” which enables easy high-precision surveying using smartphones, is attracting attention as a trump card for site DX. LRTK is a versatile surveying system that attaches a pocket-sized GNSS receiver to a smartphone or tablet. Combined with a dedicated LRTK app, a smartphone or tablet can quickly become a centimeter-level (half-inch accuracy) positioning device, enabling simple surveying by a single person.

For example, simply pointing the device at the desired point and pressing a button acquires high-precision coordinate values and saves them instantly to the cloud. There is no longer any need to transcribe numbers into a paper field notebook. Acquired data are automatically uploaded to the LRTK cloud on the spot, so colleagues in the office can check the site measurement information in real time via a web browser. It is even possible to measure distances between measured points on that web screen, making it an ideal solution connecting the site and the office.

LRTK supports high-precision GNSS and can maintain positioning accuracy in mountainous areas without mobile coverage by receiving correction data (CLAS) from Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System. In addition, the acquired survey data can be viewed on the smartphone screen in AR (augmented reality) to check alignment with design drawings on site. The intuitive operation design means even site staff unfamiliar with cutting-edge technology can use it with confidence.

Using LRTK can transform traditional surveying that relied on paper field notebooks and manpower into high-precision on-site measurement and instant sharing with few people and in short time. It is an excellent first step for point cloud utilization. If you are interested, please also check the [LRTK official site](https://www.lrtk.lefixea.com). It will surely become a powerful helper for your site DX.

FAQ

Q. What is point cloud data? A. Point cloud data are collections of many three-dimensional coordinate points obtained by laser scanners or photogrammetry. They are digital data that represent object shapes with countless points and appear as lifelike 3D models when displayed on a computer.

Q. What are the benefits of sharing point cloud data in the cloud? A. Large point cloud files stored in the cloud can be viewed from anywhere via the internet. Multiple people can simultaneously check the latest data, and a browser can display and measure them even without specialized software. Centralized data management reduces information mismatches and enables smooth collaboration with remote teams.

Q. How can site point clouds be shared in real time? A. The key is to set up an environment that can upload point cloud data acquired on site to the cloud immediately via mobile networks. For example, using a smartphone or tablet point cloud measurement app and sending the data directly to the cloud from the site allows near-real-time viewing from the office. If communication is difficult, uploading via portable Wi‑Fi right after measurement minimizes time lag.

Q. Does adopting point cloud technology require high costs or specialized knowledge? A. Compared to the past, the barriers to point cloud adoption have significantly lowered. Equipment costs are falling and affordable smartphone-compatible measurement devices have appeared. Software has been simplified and become more intuitive. Training from vendors or local governments is also available, so non-experts can learn step by step. Starting with small-scale implementations lets you try the effects without large investments.

Q. Can people unfamiliar with ICT or veteran workers use these tools? A. Yes; modern point cloud tools are designed to be easy for anyone on site to use. They mostly involve simple operations guided on screen and require no difficult PC skills. While there may be some confusion at first, training and support enable short-term proficiency. Combining veterans’ experience with digital tools makes their expertise even more valuable, so experienced workers often appreciate the convenience.

Q. What is simple surveying with LRTK? A. Simple surveying with LRTK uses a small high-precision GNSS receiver attached to a smartphone. Without preparing specialized equipment, a smartphone can acquire centimeter-level (half-inch accuracy) coordinates and instantly share the data in the cloud. It enables easy solo site inspections and as-built measurements, greatly improving efficiency compared to traditional paper-based, manual surveying.