Japanese construction company Taisei Corporation has successfully conducted a series of ultra-remote operation tests for construction machinery. The company implemented “multi-link” communication technology, which aggregates multiple high-speed, large-capacity, low-latency LTE lines while simultaneously utilizing satellite communications. Between May and September, Taisei demonstrated that construction equipment could be remotely operated over distances ranging from several dozen to several hundred kilometers. The tests also integrated Taisei’s in-house site management system, which utilizes video and IoT data. Through a digital twin environment, the system visualizes machinery locations and operating conditions in real time, enabling safe and efficient operations by continuously monitoring the positions of maintenance personnel relative to equipment.

In May, Taisei operated a caisson shovel remotely from Toyokawa City in Aichi Prefecture—approximately 230 kilometers away—at a construction site in Ota Ward, Tokyo. In August, during the road improvement project in Okayama Prefecture, the company remotely operated a hydraulic excavator and a crawler dump truck from Fukuoka City, about 300 kilometers away.

Furthermore, from September 1 to 4, Taisei operated construction machinery from its Technical Center in Totsuka Ward, Yokohama—around 90 kilometers distant—to handle sediment removal in the upstream area of a dam in Fujioka City, Gunma Prefecture.

Across all three sites, Taisei employed the “Zao Series” remote operation solution developed by Soliton Systems, compatible with the multi-link setup. Combined with its proprietary site management platform “T-Digital Field,” the system minimizes the need for long-distance commuting and personnel transfers, allowing safe and efficient operations from urban offices. Whereas conventional wireless LAN or low-power radio systems were limited to ranges of a few hundred meters, the new multi-link technology enables remote operation over several hundred kilometers. (2025/09/19)