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Komatsu: Your eye in the sky

Komatsu’s Edge 2 is a mobile drone data processing unit that provides a highly accurate and efficient alternative to conventional surveying methods.

Komatsu’s Smart Construction Edge 2 solution is transforming conventional surveying methods, offering a more efficient and safer alternative. Komatsu Product Manager James Mackenzie explains.

Completing surveys quicker, more accurately and at the fraction of the price may seem too good to be true. But Komatsu’s Edge 2 is making this a reality.

Komatsu Product Manager James Mackenzie says Komatsu’s Smart Construction Edge 2 will transform the way aerials surveying is conducted across a number of sectors specifically related to earthworks.

“Traditional aerial surveying requires using a survey-grade drone, a GPS device to record data during the flight, and placing numerous markers around the site,” he explains. “Afterward, you’d need to upload the images to a cloud processing platform and wait several hours for processing.”

Komatsu’s Edge 2 makes this process much easier and streamlined, potentially providing a 60 per cent faster surveying experience when compared to traditional methods. 

“In the past 10 years, this space has evolved rapidly,” Mackenzie says. “And the Edge 2 is a perfect example of that.”

Komatsu’s Edge 2 is technically a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) device and processing unit in one. What this means, is that the operator can benefit from rapid processing on site, rather than having to leave and transfer the recorded data. That way users can return to the office equipped with detailed, accurate and ready to use data. 

“We can also set the Edge 2 up so that the data is transferred back to our Cloud Smart Construction Dashboard, all with the click of a button. That way you don’t have to process or move that data across to a USB. It’s all about limiting the number of times that our customers need to press buttons,” Mackenzie says.

“The Edge 2 is quicker and easier, allowing our customers to plan today to work out exactly where they want to be tomorrow.”

Data from the Edge 2 drones can be transferred and visualised in Komatsu’s Smart Construction ECO System Dashboard.
Data from the Edge 2 drones can be transferred and visualised in Komatsu’s Smart Construction ECO System Dashboard.

On top of providing high quality images from a bird’s eye view, the Edge 2 has capability to remove objects thanks to its fully inbuilt, AI (Artificial Intelligence)-supported system. All these associated features can help project managers and other stakeholders to have more accurate insights into project progress, allowing them to make more frequent changes to satisfy project parameters.

“We refer to the Edge 2 as the ‘everyday drone’. While the Edge 2 is processing, you can drive to the next site to make sure that you can survey daily, every second day or as frequent as you like,” he says.

“Previously, surveyors recorded data at the end of each month, which could be too late to address delays in tracking earthwork progress. However, with faster processing times, you can survey more often using the Edge 2, and quickly identify if you’re falling behind schedule. You can view your progress more rapidly than ever. 

“An example could be during earthworks. You can conduct an aerial survey before starting, after stripping the topsoil, and at each lift layer and unsuitable material excavation for geotechnical purposes. Aerial surveys can quickly capture the 3D terrain, helping to overcome hold-points that delay work. The project maintains a digital, work-in-progress 3D model of all operational layers, which can be used for compliance sign-off and project completion. What used to be a costly and time-consuming bottleneck with traditional surveying is now made efficient with Edge 2.”


 

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Edge 2 can also be used as a ‘base station’, as Mackenzie explains. 

“GPS devices require a base station to achieve survey-grade accuracy with a drone or rover,” he explains. “The Edge 2 provides RTK (Real-Time Kinematics) corrections to the drone or rover and can also record RINEX data for PPK (Post-Processing Kinematics), making it a highly versatile solution. 

“Komatsu machines, like our intelligent machine series of excavators and dozers, SmartConstruction 3D-MG and other compatible GPS machinery can also use that correction to work in RTK if the operator wishes. Once it’s been turned on as a base station to broadcast correction data, unlimited devices can connect and use that service.”

RTK effectively takes signals from the GNSS and uses a correction stream capable of providing users with one to two centimetre horizontal accuracy and two to three centimetre vertical accuracy. This also provides greater autonomy for drone operation.

“You can design your flight parameters and a polygon of the area, and the drone can use that information to go out and take the images by itself,” Mackenzie says. “All you need to know is the barriers you want to set, along with the height.”

Safety and experience 

For those who may consider their lack of drone operation experience to be a barrier, Mackenzie says Komatsu has a variety of support services and training available. The Edge 2 also has a number of features that are designed to assist operators.

“There are aviation rules and regulations that must be followed. We assist customers by connecting them with the right resources to get compliant. We have commercial agreements in place to provide everything from hardware, licensing, management platforms and training.  We are helping our customers get started smoothly,” Mackenzie says. 

“For those eager to begin but not yet licensed, we also offer drone services through our SMEs until they achieve compliance.

“The latest drone we recommend is the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise. It is highly advanced, featuring onboard sensors that detect solid objects to help prevent collisions. One feature that has really impressed me is its ability to sense the gradient and elevation of the terrain below, allowing the drone to maintain a consistent height relative to the ground. This ensures a more uniform Ground Sample Distance (GSD). It’s incredibly intelligent.”

Another major benefit of the Edge 2 is its ability to take surveyors out of harm’s way while enabling them to conduct their assessments easier and quicker.

“It completely removes the need for surveyors to walk around and near machinery and removes the chances of injury with unstable or steep terrain. The Edge 2 is a massive upgrade on walking surveying production and safety.”

Mackenzie says he’s excited to allow more construction companies to harness all that the Edge 2 has to offer, adding that the long-term return on investment has the potential to be substantial.

“I’m seeing a big uptake in aerial surveying as more and more people are able to see the technology and the benefits that it provides,” Mackenzie says. “It’s now user friendly and affordable. Ten years ago, it would’ve been very expensive to purchase this type of technology. 

“I reckon nine out of ten people who have been fortunate to see the drone data and the Edge 2 in action have expressed interest. The appetite is there, customers just need to see our demonstrations of Edge 2.” 

This article was originally published in the October edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.

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