Japan-based KDDI used a satellite link to transmit data captured by LiDAR 3D scanners mounted on a robot and a drone at a tunnel building site to a remote command centre, enabling contractor Shimizu to monitor progress and abnormalities in real time.

In a statement, the operator noted the set-up significantly reduced the time required for regular patrols and management at the site, because issues such as wall misalignment and cracks can be checked remotely.

KDDI explained 3D point cloud data, commonly used at building sites for surveying, was transferred in real time to Shimizu’s communications hub outside the tunnel using a Starlink satellite link.

A quadruped robot and drone were fitted with small computers to compress the huge datasets gathered, using a real-time encoder developed by KDDI Research, which reduced the size by about 20-times.

The total time required for processes from remote photography to data confirmation was cut from several hours to less than 10 seconds.

In late 2022, KDDI agreed to the use Starlink satellites for mobile backhaul and in 2023 inked a deal with SpaceX for the launch of satellite-to-phone service in Japan.