Table of Contents

• Current State and Challenges of Point Cloud Data Utilization

• What Is a Browser Point Cloud Viewer?

• Benefits of Browser Point Cloud Viewers

• The Operational Efficiency Revolution from On-Site DX

• Is Halving Surveying Costs Possible?

• Simple Surveying Realized with LRTK

• FAQ

Current State and Challenges of Point Cloud Data Utilization

In recent years, the use of point cloud data (large volumes of 3D coordinate data) has attracted significant attention in the construction and surveying industries. Efforts to 3D-scan sites using drone aerial photography or terrestrial laser scanners and to understand terrain and structures or measure earthworks from the resulting point clouds are expanding. The applications of point clouds are wide-ranging, including as-built management (post-construction finish verification), displacement monitoring, and pre/post-construction terrain comparison. The government is also promoting the adoption of ICT technologies through initiatives like *i-Construction*, making point cloud data an important resource supporting construction DX.

On the other hand, many still feel there are high barriers to utilization due to issues such as “3D scanning requires expensive specialized equipment” and “handling point cloud data requires complicated specialized software.” Until not long ago, acquiring and using 3D point clouds required hundreds of thousands to millions of yen for laser scanners or UAV surveying systems, processing on high-performance workstations with dedicated software, and considerable time and cost. This made it difficult for small and medium enterprises or beginners to get started, and the technology was often seen as “not relevant to us.”

This situation has been changing rapidly in recent years. For example, modern smartphones are equipped with LiDAR (light-based distance measurement) sensors, enabling anyone to easily 3D-scan their surroundings and generate point clouds. Small devices that attach to smartphones have also emerged, dramatically improving positioning accuracy. Moreover, the spread of point cloud viewers that can display and share point clouds in a browser has made it possible to use data easily without dedicated software. In other words, advanced measurement technology can now be realized with familiar tools, greatly opening the door to point cloud utilization.

What Is a Browser Point Cloud Viewer?

A browser point cloud viewer is, as the name suggests, viewer software that displays and manipulates 3D point cloud data within a web browser. It accesses data over the Internet and renders point clouds on the browser screens of PCs or tablets. The characteristic feature is that you can display on-site 3D data simply by accessing a URL, without installing dedicated CAD software or viewers. In many cases, point cloud data are uploaded to the cloud, a sharing link is issued, and stakeholders view the data online. It is also possible to deliver data from the field to the office in real time, allowing detailed, three-dimensional confirmation of the site from remote locations.

This browser-based 3D display is enabled by recent advances in web technologies. Web browsers can render advanced 3D graphics using technologies such as WebGL. Even when point cloud data are massive, display control called LOD (level of detail) allows near-camera areas to be shown in high detail while simplifying distant areas, maintaining smooth interaction. This makes it possible to smoothly display and browse enormous point clouds of tens of millions of points on a standard PC browser. Browser point cloud viewers are making the use of large-volume 3D data, which previously required specialized environments, rapidly more accessible.

Benefits of Browser Point Cloud Viewers

Using a browser-based point cloud viewer provides many benefits, such as:

• No installation required: There is no need to install dedicated software or perform complex setup; you can use it as long as you have a web browser. There is no need to distribute software across multiple in-house PCs, so anyone can easily start handling point cloud data.

• Accessible anywhere: If you have an internet connection, you can access point cloud data from the office or in the field. Remote discussions run smoothly, such as when a field staff uploads 3D data and a supervisor or client at a distant office checks it immediately.

• Easy to share with stakeholders: By simply sharing a point cloud data URL, all stakeholders can view the same model in their browsers. There is no need to email large files or distribute USBs, greatly lowering the barrier to data sharing.

• Low cost: You can reduce costs such as purchasing licenses for dedicated software or preparing high-performance PCs. For example, if departments historically needed expensive dedicated software to handle point clouds, a browser viewer can allow employees to view data without additional costs, leading to overall cost reductions in surveying and data management.

• Intuitive 3D understanding: You can freely change viewpoints and view lifelike 3D point clouds in the browser, making it easy to intuitively grasp site conditions that are hard to understand from drawings or photos alone. Especially for terrain undulations and structural shapes, moving the point cloud helps deepen spatial understanding.

• Simple measurements possible: Some viewers include basic measurement functions such as measuring the distance between two points or displaying cross-sections to check heights. You can perform minor dimension checks in the browser without opening heavy CAD software just to get the needed information.

The Operational Efficiency Revolution from On-Site DX

The utilization of these 3D point cloud data and browser-based sharing is transforming how site operations are conducted. In other words, digitalization-driven on-site DX is revolutionizing previously inefficient work processes. For example, tasks that used to require many measured points taken manually and later analyzed and calculated back at the office can now be scanned on-site and have volumes confirmed immediately. If you use point clouds for daily construction progress management and quantity tracking, there is no longer a need to repeatedly dispatch surveying teams and wait for results, which leads to significant time savings.

Having a 3D point cloud “digital twin” of the site also makes it easier for personnel to share the same situational awareness, reducing communication losses. For example, showing terrain irregularities or how structures fit together in 3D makes obvious problems that are hard to convey verbally or in drawings. This helps prevent rework and speeds decision-making, producing cost reduction effects such as fewer unnecessary follow-up constructions or meetings. Sharing data with distant supervisors or clients instead of keeping it only on-site can also reduce travel time and improve remote inspection efficiency, generating additional benefits.

Moreover, improvements in safety and record quality should not be overlooked. Dangerous slopes or high places can be scanned from a safe distance, reducing worker risk. The acquired point cloud data can be stored digitally as precise site records, which are useful for post-construction verification and future maintenance planning. The accumulation and utilization of such digital data create a long-term cycle of operational improvement, which is another advantage of DX.

Thus, the introduction of digital technologies, including browser point cloud viewers, is dramatically improving the efficiency of on-site surveying and construction management. Cases where work time and costs have been reduced by nearly half compared to conventional methods are not uncommon, and there are reports that a limited workforce can now cover many more sites. The change, which can truly be called an “efficiency revolution,” has already begun. With national promotion measures like i-Construction as a tailwind, this trend is likely to accelerate further.

Is Halving Surveying Costs Possible?

To conclude, under certain conditions it is entirely possible to reduce surveying costs by around half. Breaking down the cost structure shows that traditionally high equipment purchase costs, outsourcing fees, and labor costs (surveying work hours) accumulated. However, combining inexpensive measurement methods using a smartphone + small device with rapid data utilization via a browser point cloud viewer can significantly compress these cost elements.

For example, a conventional two-person surveying team can often be replaced by a single person using agile 3D scanning, which in simple terms halves the labor cost for that task. Reducing the number of times you outsource to specialized contractors lowers outsourcing expenses, and even when performing measurements in-house, shorter work times reduce labor costs. Avoiding the purchase of expensive dedicated equipment also suppresses capital investment costs. In other words, because surveying tasks that were once “expensive and time-consuming” can be completed more cheaply and quickly, total costs can be dramatically reduced.

In practice, small and medium construction firms that have introduced browser point cloud viewers and smartphone surveying report that “outsourced surveys decreased and costs were greatly reduced” and “we can now conduct daily as-built measurements ourselves, cutting travel and equipment rental costs.” However, not all surveying tasks can be replaced; highly specialized work requiring expertise, such as critical control point surveys or boundary determinations, will still need to be entrusted to experts. Nevertheless, for routine as-built management and quantity checks, digital surveying can provide sufficient accuracy and efficiency. For companies and municipalities that must manage sites with limited budgets and personnel, the potential to reduce surveying costs to a “half” level is highly attractive.

Simple Surveying Realized with LRTK

One solution gaining attention for enabling this simple 3D measurement and data sharing is LRTK. LRTK (L-R-T-K) is an ultra-compact RTK-GNSS receiver that attaches to a smartphone and can position the phone in real time with centimeter-level accuracy. When used in combination with a smartphone’s LiDAR scanner function, high-precision position coordinates (geodetic coordinates) can be assigned to each point in the acquired point cloud in real time. As a result, even when walking around scanning with a smartphone in hand, the point clouds do not distort relative to one another, and the data as a whole are obtained tied to accurate site coordinates. This suppresses positional drift and scan distortion that commonly occur with standalone smartphones and provides a revolutionary system that allows anyone to acquire precise point clouds without specialized knowledge.

The actual usage procedure is simple. Attach the LRTK receiver to the top of the smartphone and start RTK positioning with the dedicated LRTK app. Once position is fixed to centimeter accuracy by receiving correction information, switch the app to 3D scan mode and slowly capture the target objects or terrain. The point cloud being acquired is displayed on the smartphone in real time, allowing you to confirm there are no missed areas while scanning the entire site in a short time. After measurement, save the data on the phone and upload it to the cloud as needed. You can also measure distances between two points on the point cloud, height differences, or the volume of an enclosed area on site, which means analyses that used to be done back in the office on a PC can now be completed in the field.

If you upload the acquired point cloud data to the cloud, you can view it on an office PC with a browser point cloud viewer and instantly share the data with colleagues. Of course, you can also export data in LAS or PLY formats and import them into civil engineering CAD, offering flexibility to integrate into conventional drawing workflows. Because you can easily measure with a smartphone and then immediately utilize point clouds in a browser, lead time from survey to reporting is dramatically shortened.

LRTK is rapidly being adopted in the construction and civil engineering sectors as a low-cost tool that realizes high-precision positioning and simple 3D scanning. The light and portable setup of just a smartphone and a receiver weighing a few hundred grams, easy operation even for beginners, and immediacy of on-site results are major advantages. It also aligns with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s *i-Construction* policy (measures to improve construction productivity by using ICT). It is no exaggeration to say “the smartphone turns into a surveying instrument.” Consider incorporating LRTK-enabled simple surveying into your sites so anyone can perform straightforward measurements.

FAQ

Q: What PC specifications are required to use a browser point cloud viewer? A: A special high-performance workstation is not necessary. Typical business PCs or recent laptops will run them adequately. In practice, point clouds on the order of millions to tens of millions of points can be smoothly displayed on PCs with standard graphics capabilities. However, when handling extremely large datasets, machines with larger memory capacity and higher GPU performance will provide a more comfortable experience.

Q: Can it be used without specialized knowledge or experience? A: Yes. LRTK and browser point cloud viewers are designed to be intuitive. If you can perform basic smartphone operations and use a computer browser, you should have no problem. Even without formal surveying education, people can start using the system on site quickly by viewing and confirming 3D point clouds themselves.

Q: What level of measurement accuracy can be achieved? A: With LRTK’s RTK technology, the positional information assigned to the acquired point clouds is typically accurate to within several centimeters horizontally and vertically. The distance measurement accuracy of smartphone-built LiDAR is also on the order of several centimeters at short range, providing sufficient accuracy for as-built dimension checks and earthwork volume calculations. While environmental conditions can introduce some errors, the practical accuracy is at least comparable to manual measurements with a tape or traditional surveyor-acquired points.

Q: Can it interoperate with existing surveying software and data? A: Yes. Point cloud data acquired with the LRTK app can be exported in common file formats such as LAS and PLY. Output data can be imported into conventional civil engineering CAD software or point cloud processing software for use. You can also upload point clouds obtained with other equipment to the LRTK cloud and display/share them with a browser point cloud viewer. Because you can overlay 2D drawing data and point clouds in 3D, it integrates smoothly into existing workflows.

Q: How large an area can be surveyed? A: There are limits to the area that can be covered in a single walk-through with a smartphone. As a guideline, areas from several hundred square meters to several thousand square meters can be scanned in a short time. For larger sites, you can divide the area and perform multiple scans, then merge the resulting point clouds. Depending on the use case, combining drone photogrammetry or vehicle-mounted mobile mapping systems (MMS) enables efficient 3D surveying of vast areas. LRTK supports various data formats, making it easy to integrate point clouds obtained by other methods.

Q: In what tasks or scenes is it useful? A: It is widely applicable to outdoor civil engineering and construction site measurement tasks. Examples include existing condition surveys of development sites and construction areas, as-built management after embankment/cutting, quantity checks for excavation and backfill, and monitoring deformation of bridges and slopes—situations where understanding terrain or structural shapes is important. It is also useful for emergency measurements at disaster sites, maintenance records of aging infrastructure, and archiving cultural properties—any case where you want to preserve 3D site information. LiDAR measurement can be performed at night or in shaded areas, so it is flexible regarding daylight or time of day. However, because it relies on GNSS, it generally cannot be used in tunnels or building interiors where satellite signals are unavailable (in such cases it functions as standard smartphone LiDAR for relative point cloud acquisition only).

As described, using LRTK makes it possible to perform easy and highly accurate 3D surveying in many field situations, offering significant efficiency improvements and cost reductions compared to traditional methods. Going forward, such digital surveying will become commonplace at more sites. LRTK will strongly support on-site DX as a pioneer in this shift.