Terra Drone Conducts DX Measurement Demo in Caves Using 'Terra SLAM RTK' in Collaboration with Kyushu University and Amagi Town, Tokunoshima
Terra Drone collaborated with Kyushu University and the Amagi Town Board of Education to conduct a 3D measurement demonstration in caves in Tokunoshima. Using the 'Terra SLAM RTK' handheld scanner, they successfully digitized complex cultural heritage sites where GNSS signals are unavailable.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 25, 2026 at 00:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 16:02
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 22:37 (6h 35m after Collected)
Terra Drone Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Toru Tokushige) conducted a demonstration and verification experiment for DX measurement in caves using the latest SLAM-equipped handheld 3D scanner, 'Terra SLAM RTK (TSR),' at a cultural heritage survey site in Tokunoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, from March 17 to 18, 2026. This initiative, supported by Kyushu University and the local Amagi Town Board of Education, aims to verify the possibilities of 'digitizing cultural heritage survey sites' through industry-academia-government collaboration.
### Background and Purpose
Currently, cultural heritage survey sites in Japan face serious challenges such as labor shortages and prolonged work schedules. There are high expectations for 3D measurement technology to reduce the burden of traditional manual recording (creating measured drawings). However, actual survey sites are often complex with irregularities, dense trees, and deep trenches, leading to data loss in areas that are blind spots for aerial drone lasers (UAV lasers).
To solve these issues, Terra Drone is promoting the introduction of 'Terra SLAM RTK,' a handheld 3D scanner equipped with high-precision SLAM technology. This product can acquire high-precision point cloud data with a surveying accuracy of 5 centimeters while walking, enabling the recording of dense 3D data even in areas invisible to drones, such as inside trenches or under trees.
### Experiment Details and Results
In this demonstration, the 'Terra SLAM RTK' was used to verify its performance in cave environments, which are difficult to measure using traditional methods due to the absence of GNSS and the complex, narrow terrain. The experiment confirmed that spatial shapes inside caves could be captured as 3D point cloud data even in environments with rugged terrain and intricate passages. The demo showed that wide-area data could be acquired in a short time, potentially reducing work hours and physical burden. Furthermore, the acquired data allowed for detailed reproduction of cave shapes on a PC, proving useful for post-survey analysis and archiving.
### Future Outlook
By adding ground-based measurement with 'Terra SLAM RTK' to its existing aerial drone surveying lineup, Terra Drone has established a comprehensive data acquisition system that covers sites from both air and ground. This allows the company to provide an integrated solution for the entire process—'flight planning, measurement, data analysis, and deliverable creation'—while digitizing 3D data for areas previously difficult to capture. Terra Drone aims to continue leading DX in various fields, including surveying, construction, and cultural heritage, by providing advanced solutions tailored to site needs.
### Background and Purpose
Currently, cultural heritage survey sites in Japan face serious challenges such as labor shortages and prolonged work schedules. There are high expectations for 3D measurement technology to reduce the burden of traditional manual recording (creating measured drawings). However, actual survey sites are often complex with irregularities, dense trees, and deep trenches, leading to data loss in areas that are blind spots for aerial drone lasers (UAV lasers).
To solve these issues, Terra Drone is promoting the introduction of 'Terra SLAM RTK,' a handheld 3D scanner equipped with high-precision SLAM technology. This product can acquire high-precision point cloud data with a surveying accuracy of 5 centimeters while walking, enabling the recording of dense 3D data even in areas invisible to drones, such as inside trenches or under trees.
### Experiment Details and Results
In this demonstration, the 'Terra SLAM RTK' was used to verify its performance in cave environments, which are difficult to measure using traditional methods due to the absence of GNSS and the complex, narrow terrain. The experiment confirmed that spatial shapes inside caves could be captured as 3D point cloud data even in environments with rugged terrain and intricate passages. The demo showed that wide-area data could be acquired in a short time, potentially reducing work hours and physical burden. Furthermore, the acquired data allowed for detailed reproduction of cave shapes on a PC, proving useful for post-survey analysis and archiving.
### Future Outlook
By adding ground-based measurement with 'Terra SLAM RTK' to its existing aerial drone surveying lineup, Terra Drone has established a comprehensive data acquisition system that covers sites from both air and ground. This allows the company to provide an integrated solution for the entire process—'flight planning, measurement, data analysis, and deliverable creation'—while digitizing 3D data for areas previously difficult to capture. Terra Drone aims to continue leading DX in various fields, including surveying, construction, and cultural heritage, by providing advanced solutions tailored to site needs.