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Announcement of Page Transfer: Interview with Technology validation Adopters: Effects and Future of Technologies such as drones and 3D Point Cloud Data

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Digital Agency is currently working with ministries and agencies and private business, which are under the jurisdiction of regulation, on whether it is possible to substitute regulation, which requires investigation, inspection, and inspection of the management status and damage status of buildings and structures, by remote confirmation and evaluation of the status using technologies such as drones and AI image analysis. validation
Among the investigations, inspections, and inspection work required by law, there are cases in which it is necessary to work at heights or to get close to dangerous goods. It is expected that the use of digital technology in drones and other places will enable dangerous work to be avoided, and efficiency and other places will be able to proceed more than visual inspection and other places.
This time, we asked business operators engaged in the Technology validation Project to tell us about the content of the technology they are trying to validation, the benefits of the technology, and the future picture.

Group photo of interview operators. From left to right: Mr. Tsuchiya SOHGO SECURITY SERVICES CO.,LTD., Mr. Motegi drones of Miratec Co., Ltd., Mr. Sodani of Eames Robotics Co., Ltd., and Mr. Okada of NTT DATA CORPORATION
Interview operator (Group photo from left)

Interview content

  1. Overview of Technical validation
  2. Benefits of validation Technologies and Issue
  3. Effects of regulations on paper and in-person processes Review Using Technology
  4. Outlook for Japanese society after the introduction of technology
  5. (Reference) Services based on drones and law that are subject to validation of "Demonstration of Inspection of Structures, etc. Using law, 3D Point Cloud, etc."

1. Overview of Technical validation

In the past, even in places that were too small or dangerous for humans to investigate, inspect, and inspect, it has become possible to efficiently investigate, inspect, and inspect with the development of remote monitoring technology in recent years. In order to utilize digital technology, there is also a regulation that needs to be confirmed from the viewpoint of security and effectiveness in a technology validation. He explained the outline and points of the technology validation currently being promoted in cooperation with the ministries and agencies under the jurisdiction of regulation.

Mr. Sodani: If you were to compare the world of Explosives Control Act In , measurements are to be made on the visual inspection and measuring equipment. We are working on the idea that we can substitute for visual inspection inspection by checking the cracks, collapses, and shapes of the fire wall of the ammunition storage, the earthen wall surrounding the ammunition storage, and the explosion-proof wall on the drones equipped with a high-precision visible-light camera and sensor.
In order to prevent drones from accidentally flying into the powder storage, we have devised the use of drones spiders that connect the drones to the ground with a strong string.
In addition, we can acquire point cloud data of a building using a LiDAR sensor that can measure the distance to an object and the shape of the object using the reflection time of laser light, generate 3D data of the building, and check whether there is a shape change by comparing it with a drawing.
We would like to show that it is possible to eliminate the risk of the aircraft being too close to the powder magazine and to inspect it safely.

Mr. OKADA: I think it is possible to collaborate with other industries in disaster response Basic Act In , the housing damages caused by water disasters has been measured and investigated by local government officials using measures and the like, and a "disaster victim certificate" has been issued, which is a certificate that a house has been damaged.
We will create a 3D model of the building using "SfM software," which can take pictures of damaged houses from various positions and angles depending on the drones and restore the 3D shape from multiple images. Then, we are considering a mechanism to measure the inundation depth based on the inundation scars that show how far the house was flooded by AI analysis. Similarly, we plan to measure the inundation depth using a smartphone app.
If the inundation depth can be measured in drones and so on, it is possible to reduce the burden of surveys conducted by municipalities. In many cases, disaster victim certificates are necessary to rebuild the lives of disaster victims, and we believe that our efforts will lead to the issuance of disaster victim certificates more quickly.
Basically, investigators determine the degree of damage on-site, but we believe that the use of AI can realize "determination without on-site visual inspection confirmation."

Mr. Tsuchiya: Building Standards Act In and elsewhere, qualified persons (first class architects, second class architects, or building investigators) are required to visit the site to conduct surveys, inspections, and inspections of buildings and other facilities. In our efforts, we believe that we can clear the regulation, in which qualified persons must conduct surveys, inspections, and inspections at the site, by operating drones, smartphone, smart glasses, etc. by managers of buildings and persons at the site who are not qualified, acquiring video and audio of inspection items photographed by a visible-light camera in real time, and transmitting them to qualified persons.
If necessary, a qualified person can remotely give operation instructions to check the image of the site through the monitor, and we aim to efficiently inspect the visual inspection while maintaining the same accuracy as conventional inspection.
In addition, depending on the situation, it is assumed that the devices to be used are drones at a high place, smartphone indoors, and smart glasses when you want to keep your hands free.

Motegi: Using images taken of buildings using Building Standards Act, buildings, etc. are to be investigated, inspected, and inspected at the visual inspection and measuring equipment. In our efforts, we are working on the idea that it may be possible to determine the damage and degradation status of buildings from still images and video images taken by the drones using image analysis and AI analytics at the time of exterior wall investigation and inspection.
Another feature of this initiative is the use of a line drones system in which the roof of the building is connected to the ground with a thread or string (line) and the drones moves through the line in order to prevent the drones from falling, flying to an unintended location, or colliding unexpectedly during filming.
I would like to show that even if the aircraft loses control, it is easy to identify the crash site, and that investigation, inspection, and inspection can be conducted with consideration for safety so that damage to pedestrians and building owners can be suppressed.

2. Benefits of validation Technology and Issue

New technologies have advantages in strength and operation, but at the same time, there is a possibility that a Issue will occur. He explained what kind of validation is being seen in the course of working on technology Issue.

Mr. Sodani: If you were to compare the world of Magazine, we will ensure safety for the magazine, people, and objects.
The inspection of the earth bank of the powder magazine has a feature that is not in the normal inspection. First of all, it is the shape change of the structure. In the case of the earth bank composed of soil outdoors, it is affected by weather conditions such as typhoons, so not only the surface degradation but also the shape may change, and that point must be inspected and confirmed. We believe that this judgment has an advantage in that we can utilize technologies such as the acquisition and processing of 3D point cloud data and judgment by AI that we have cultivated through surveys, inspections, and inspections of electric power and transportation infrastructure.
Another feature is the number of restrictions. First, if strong radio waves are used, there is a risk that pyrotechnic devices that are operated by electric current will explode or catch fire, so the output in data transmission is limited. If so, real-time monitoring from a remote location is difficult at present. In addition, if the location is not disclosed from the viewpoint of hazardous material management, it is necessary to exchange data in a highly confidential manner. In this Technical validation, we will pay attention to the radio waves to be used based on this Issue, and conduct an investigation from a distance where data transmission can be performed in a confidential manner.
We believe that the drones we development can be expected to be highly safe and reliable, and will contribute to this initiative.

Mr. OKADA: I think it is possible to collaborate with other industries in In recent years, flood damage surveys, which are becoming more frequent and severe, are required to be conducted in the efficiency, and the use of digital technology is expected. In the past, surveys to certify housing damages were conducted by two to three local government officials visiting each house in visual inspection, so it was difficult to conduct a quick survey in some parts. Therefore, we believe that the introduction of drones and smartphone apps will contribute to saving manpower at the time of survey. In addition, compared with surveys using paper questionnaires, we believe that there is also an advantage that the cost of education in surveys can be reduced by utilizing photographed images, 3D modeling, and AI judgment.
In the future, the focus will be on establishing a shooting method that can obtain images with the accuracy of centimeters, which is equivalent to that of visual inspection, by drones in order to grasp the degree of damage to buildings and other objects, and building a system that can operate drones while taking into consideration the invasion of privacy, such as the reflection of surrounding situations that are not subject to shooting.
With the introduction of the smartphone App, we believe that there is a possibility that residents will be able to operate and photograph by themselves, rather than local government officials, and apply for the status of the housing damages caused by the flood.

Mr. Tsuchiya: The investigation, inspection, and inspection of the current building are carried out in visual inspection by qualified persons who visit the site. Since the number is limited, if a system can be established in which a person without a qualification goes to the object of inspection, collects the information necessary for the qualified person to make a judgment, and the qualified person makes a collective judgment from a remote location, there is an advantage that many inspections can be carried out by a limited number of qualified persons.
The Issue in the introduction of the technology is how accurately the inspection points required by qualified personnel can be photographed and the accuracy required for judgment can be obtained. In addition, we believe that it is necessary to establish an operation method in which suitable photographic equipment is used for each of the following: the heights of buildings where visual inspection inspection is difficult, and indoor ceilings and inspection points where drones is difficult to handle.
We believe that our nationwide network can be utilized in considering the operation of technology and the future social implementation.

Motegi: Using images taken of buildings using drones is expected to play an active role in investigations, inspections, and inspections in the future is urban areas with dense populations and buildings. In such fields, it is necessary to consider not only the climate, but also the building-specific winds of the city, the presence of people in the neighborhood, and so on. Therefore, we believe that there are great advantages in a line drones system that can control the drones without being affected by the proficiency of the operator.
On the other hand, since we fly near the outer wall of a building, there is a concern about the impact on the drones and the infrastructure inside the building due to radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band (used for Wi-Fi), which is the same frequency band as that for operating the drones. Therefore, radio wave environment surveys are important. By visualizing the radio wave environment in the air and around the drones, we hope to help reduce the burden on drones operators and reduce drones crashes.
In addition, conventionally, qualified personnel checked the visual inspection and took photos at each location, but by incorporating automatic judgment of photographed images by AI, it will lead to efficiency of judgment. However, the high-quality images required for judgment are large in data size, and in the case of a large-scale building that requires many images, the amount of data will be enormous. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to reduce the amount of data required by optimizing the data processing procedure in cooperation with data processing experts using AI.
In this way, by using the line drones system and taking pictures from near the outer wall, it is possible to take detailed pictures of the degradation and damage while ensuring safety.

3. Effects of regulations on paper and in-person processes Reviews using Technology

According to "Economic Effects of the Review of regulations on paper and in-person processes (Interim Report) (Digital Agency, released in August 2023) ," for example, just for the survey and survey of regulations on paper and in-person processes, which is the scope of the Technology validation introduced this time, cost reductions of 20 billion yen each for the administrative department and the private sector department, a total of 40 billion yen, are expected by introducing the drones, camera, and sensor technologies. He explained what effects are expected by reviewing the regulations on paper and in-person processes.

Mr. Tsuchiya: qualified personnel can inspect buildings remotely, the cost of travel by qualified personnel can be significantly reduced. If this becomes more and more advanced, it may be possible to be in charge of inspection nationwide from the office.
The number of buildings that need to be inspected by qualified personnel is approximately 290,000, which is an enormous amount, but the number of qualified personnel is insufficient. I think the biggest advantage is that you can make the most of the valuable human resources, the time of qualified personnel with expertise.

Motegi: Using images taken of buildings using , drones and the operator can take over the process of "qualified personnel visiting the site," which has been taken for granted until now. I think the merit of that manpower saving is very large.
In addition, by using the Line development System, which is sold by SEIBU CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD., and the drones in combination, there is a possibility that the work of "assembling scaffolds" will be unnecessary when inspecting buildings. In the past, particularly for inspections of high-rise buildings, the rental cost of equipment and the length of construction time were a heavy burden, and large-scale inspections cost tens of millions of yen. If inspections that do not require scaffolds are possible, we believe that it will be possible not only to reduce costs, but also to reduce obstacles to the sales of building managers, tenant companies, stores, and so on. drones

Interview with Mr. Motegi and Mr. Tsuchiya (from left)

Mr. Sodani: If you were to compare the world of that "qualified people do not have to visit the site" in order to promote social implementation in drones. However, it is too expensive to use drones in the current situation, whether it is for building inspection or distribution.
The same situation will continue as long as two to three people accompany a drones to the site to fly one drones. One expected means of reducing the operating cost of a flight is "one to-many operation."
In that sense, I am also paying attention to the "Realization Project for Social implementation of Next-Generation Air mobility (ReAMo Project)" promoted by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology development Organization). This project aims to realize "one to-many" in which one operator can safely fly 10 to 20 drones. It seems that the cost of drones can be reduced to one tenth or one twentieth at once. development

Mr. Tsuchiya: knows, the construction industry has been suffering from a labor shortage for many years. "Mechanization," in which machines do what people do, is one solution, but apart from that, it is also important to make it "usable by anyone" and "enable one person to handle many things."

Mr. OKADA: I think it is possible to collaborate with other industries in Our technology supports local government, which conducts damage recognition surveys on houses damaged by flood disasters, and it is difficult to talk about it in terms of industrialization and financial benefits. Originally, it was the work of local government employees, and if a business operator like us takes over drones operations, it will be regarded as an additional cost for local government from a financial perspective alone.
On the other hand, among various disasters, in recent years, water disasters have become particularly frequent and severe, and damage can occur anytime and anywhere in the country. In the case of large-scale water disasters, the damage is extensive. By efficiency damage recognition surveys of tens of thousands of houses, local government staff can spare time for other disaster response work, and as a result, the reconstruction of residents' lives can be accelerated. I would like to see the effect of smooth support for disaster victims as a "social merit."

4. Outlook for Japanese society after the introduction of technology

As the digitalization of survey, inspection, and inspection technologies advances, horizontal cooperation will also emerge between business operators, and working on the same Issue across industry boundaries will lead to the germination of new solutions through mutual complementarity. He explained his view on the future in which digital technologies related to survey, inspection, and inspection have been introduced.

Mr. OKADA: I think it is possible to collaborate with other industries in For example, just in the case of disasters, I always wonder if it is possible to build a mechanism to "share" the data acquired by drones photography with other business operators who are working together to respond to disasters. That is exactly what I think. Surveillance cameras in the city should be able to show flooded roads, so it can be used for disaster investigation and rescue.

Mr. Sodani: If you were to compare the world of distribution is also equipped with a camera, and it is always photographed. If such information can be shared only in the event of a disaster, it may be possible to "guard while distributing goods."

From left to right, Mr. Okada and Mr. Sodani

Motegi: Using images taken of buildings using drones, 3D modeling of buildings can be easily done. In the restoration of Kumamoto Castle, it is known that 3D data generated from laser surveys in the past could be used for restoration work. In the future, it may be possible to quickly provide building materials for repair by linking 3D models and 3D printers.

Mr. OKADA: I think it is possible to collaborate with other industries in . For example, there is a survey by a non-life insurance company that is similar to the damage recognition survey on houses conducted by local government. These surveys have different standards and are currently conducted separately, but by cooperating with both, we have started to collaborate with non-life insurance companies in order to make it possible to do one stop work from the results of the damage recognition survey to rapid insurance application.
In addition, in the current situation, when water disasters occur in various parts of Japan and we want to fly drones quickly, we have to rush from a remote location. Therefore, we may have the option of providing prompt service in various parts of Japan by teaming up with a business operator such as SOHGO SECURITY SERVICES CO.,LTD. that has bases all over Japan and can immediately rush to the site.

Mr. Tsuchiya: In fact, we are also promoting the training of drones pilots. If we can fly a drones and acquire data on behalf of someone who needs a drones all over Japan, we believe that we can play a role in the infrastructure necessary for the industrialization of drones.

Mr. Sodani: If you were to compare the world of cars, drones now has an automobile inspection system and is in a state where you can Issue a driver's license. However, there are still many Issue, such as no expressways and no parking lots. If these problems are solved, in a few decades' time, in addition to drones, a world where even flying cars travel may come.

5. (Reference) Services based on drones and law subject to validation of "Demonstration of Inspection of Structures, etc. Using law, 3D Point Cloud, etc."

This article outlines the business based on validation and law targeted by the Technology law Project introduced this time.

  • Law: Article 44 and 44-5 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Explosives Control Act

    • Services based on law: Completion inspection and security inspection of earthen walls, explosion-proof walls, etc. of explosives manufacturing facilities and ammunition magazines (METI)
    • Description: The government, local government, or third parties inspect the arrangement, structure, etc. of the earthen walls, explosion-proof walls, etc. surrounding the building of manufacturing facilities for explosives and ammunition storage (hereinafter referred to as "gunpowder-related facilities") through completion inspection and security inspection, and determine the conformity to the technical standards and the status of maintenance thereof.

  • Law: Article 90-2 of the disaster response Basic Act

    • Services based on law: Survey on damage recognition of disaster-stricken houses (Cabinet Office)
    • Summary: When an application is made by a disaster victim, the mayor of the municipality must conduct a damage recognition investigation and make a Issue for the victim's certificate.

  • Law: Article 12, Paragraphs 1 and 2, Article 88, Paragraph 1 of the Building Standards Act, Article 5, Paragraph 2, Article 5-2, Paragraph 1, Article 6-2-2, Paragraph 2, and Article 6-2-3, Paragraph 1 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Building Standards Act

    • Services based on law: Periodic surveys and inspections of specified buildings, etc. (MLIT)
    • Outline: The state of degradation, such as damage and corrosion, of specified buildings (theaters, cinemas, hospitals, hotels, apartment houses, schools, department stores, etc., of a certain scale or larger) and amusement facilities (elevators, water chutes, flying towers, and other similar structures) will be periodically investigated and inspected by visual inspection, sounding, operation check, equipment measurement, etc.

Related Information

References