This AT WORK case looks at the Highway Road Maintenance Inspection by IP-S3 HD1. FUTABA had to survey large areas of all highway roads in Fukushima as well as inspect road surface elements such as centerline, traffic signs, safety facilities, road surface shape and so on. The inspection used to be done with captured movie images recorded by video cameras on a patrol car.

This conventional method provides only limited information due to the one directional, one time recording nature of the video camera, so it would take more time to complete the inspection and would sometimes result in traffic obstruction. FUTABA managed to secure the project as a result of proposing the use of IP-S3 HD1. Besides that, it was also evaluated that FUTABA also possessed the TOPCON 3D SCANNER GLS-1000* since 2009 and recently the GLS-2000, enabling the company to build on many years of experience to create their own operation manual. This was a skill that was favourably evaluated by the awarding party.

Mr. Kazuhiko Sumiya, Survey Deputy General Manager of FUTABA, says, “IP-S3 HD1 solved all the problems which we had. Since the IP-S3 HD1 system can acquire 360 degrees panorama images, Position Data, and related 3D Scanned Data at the same time, we don’t have to control the lane of the roads anymore. Now we can get long distance data in a very short time. In addition, we can see the detailed location, position and shape of objects captured by the data. That is well appreciated by our client.” Mr. Sumiya told us that acquiring data by IP-S3 HD1 has changed the way their clients work. They are now using panorama images instead of the conventional maps during maintenance and construction project meetings between clients and the divisions of FUTABA.

Mr. Sumiya continues, “The information data which IP-S3 HD1 can acquire is huge so inspection works have become much more efficient. Also, for other works, the highly-density 3D scanned data is used for designing the alignment, cross section and the ground plan. We believe IP-S3 HD1 can be used not only for road maintenance but also disaster inspection, ageing facility inspection, remodeling progress inspection, before/after the construction comparison, etc.”

* Click to see FUTABA Consultant GLS-1000 AT WORK

FUTABA established a “Total 3D Survey System” to deliver large scale high-density 3D data such as digitalized maps, images, etc. by using 3D Laser Scanners (GLS-2000), Mobile Mapping Systems (IP-S3 HD1) and Photogrammetry (UAV). This system will be a great asset for FUTABA. Mr. Miura says, “It is very easy to imagine that it will be fully utilized for construction surveys of ICT Construction or “i-Construction”, which is now expanding. We would like to propose this system not only to our clients but also to construction companies in other areas and construction machine rental companies to make partnerships with. We trust how IP-S3 HD1 works as one of our most important instruments in our system.”

Lastly, FUTABA is promoting the “FUTABA MMS Caravan” project that they opened on their website showing measured panorama images. FUTABA also provided the acquired data of this project to the local government and played the role of volunteer for recovery of the damaged area. Please also watch the IP-S3 HD1 Runs on their web site for more information.

* “i-Construction” is…
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in Japan has been promoting “i-Construction”, that the Japanese construction companies shall utilize 3D data in all the procedure of construction work to increase its productivity dramatically, generated by not only the conventional equipment such as Total Stations and GNSS receivers but also Drones, 3D Laser Scanners, and ICT Construction Machineries. “i-Construction” is a registered trademark of the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, MLIT.