2025 Edition i-Construction Latest Trends: On-site DX Transformed by Smartphone Surveying

Since the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism launched “i-Construction” in 2016, the construction industry has been steadily pursuing productivity improvements and digitalization at job sites. With regulations on overtime work being applied to the construction sector in 2024 (the so-called “2024 problem”), the industry has reached a turning point in terms of work styles and securing personnel. As of 2025, on-site DX (digital transformation) in construction has become an urgent necessity to respond to these changes.

One of the most notable developments is high-accuracy smartphone-based smartphone surveying. Surveying work that traditionally required specialized equipment and multiple personnel is increasingly becoming possible as single-person surveying using smartphones equipped with RTK (real-time kinematic) technology. This method, which enables easy acquisition of site position and terrain data and immediate cloud sharing, is quietly spreading as a trump card for on-site DX. In this article, based on the policies and status of i-Construction as of 2025, we explain in detail the background that calls for surveying-centered digitalization, the role and adoption status of single-person surveying using smartphone RTK, the outlook for integrated data use from surveying through construction, inspection, and maintenance, and the changes in the workforce and on-site skills that support i-Construction. Finally, using LRTK, a state-of-the-art smartphone surveying solution, as an example, we introduce the benefits of easy-to-adopt high-accuracy surveying and offer tips for promoting DX.

What is i-Construction (2025 policies and current status)

i-Construction is an initiative promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism since fiscal 2016, aimed at improving productivity on construction sites and reforming work styles. Against the backdrop of structural issues in the construction industry—such as labor shortages due to an aging and declining population, difficulties in passing on skilled crafts, and aging infrastructure—this effort introduces ICT technologies like drone surveying and machine guidance (automatic operation of construction equipment) to the field to raise overall productivity. In fact, following the gradual spread of ICT construction since 2016, reports indicate that productivity in directly managed public works has improved by about 20%. Even small and medium-sized construction firms are increasingly starting digitalization at their own pace, beginning with digitizing survey data and using cloud services.

From fiscal 2024, efforts were accelerated under the name *i-Construction 2.0*, with more ambitious goals. The central point is “automation of construction sites,” with a long-term target to achieve a 30% reduction in onsite manpower (1.5x productivity) by fiscal 2040. To reach this, technology development and deployment are being advanced along three pillars: automation of construction (expanding autonomous operation and remote control of construction equipment), automation of data linkage (standardizing the use of 3D data such as BIM/CIM), and automation of construction management (improving efficiency and moving toward unmanned supervision). This new policy vision also includes improving safety, creating environments where diverse personnel can thrive, and raising wage levels as part of work-style reforms, aiming to transform the construction industry into a “new construction industry.”

Under these policies, the principles of ICT construction and full application of BIM/CIM are becoming reality at job sites. For example, by fiscal 2022, ICT construction had been introduced in about 86% of earthwork operations in ministry-managed projects, and from fiscal 2024 ICT earthwork began to be stipulated as the standard procurement practice.

BIM/CIM (3D models) started to be applied as a principle from fiscal 2023, and by 2025 highway companies are scheduled to apply it across all civil engineering works.

Moreover, i-Construction initiatives are expanding into comprehensive digitalization from surveying through design, construction, inspection, and maintenance—such as wider adoption of remote onsite inspections, thorough cloud sharing of construction data, and electronic delivery of project data.

What on-site DX is required in 2025 (surveying-centered digitalization)

“On-site DX” refers to efforts to fundamentally transform construction-site processes by introducing digital technologies. The goal is not merely to use tablets, but to optimize information management and construction procedures that previously relied on paper and manual labor through data and IT. Considering the 2024 labor reform overtime regulations (the 2024 problem) and the anticipated future decline in available personnel, achieving on-site DX is more strongly demanded in 2025. To maintain high-quality infrastructure construction and upkeep with limited staff, it is essential to review inefficient traditional practices and utilize digital technologies to increase efficiency and reduce labor.

A particularly important element is surveying-centered digitalization. Surveying is the first step of any project, providing the basis for drawings and plans by grasping the site’s terrain and existing structures. If data captured at this initial stage are digitized, they can be used consistently across subsequent design, construction, inspection, and maintenance phases. Conversely, if survey results remain only on paper drawings or in analog form, re-entry or re-surveying in later stages will be necessary, causing rework and lowering productivity.

For example, 3D surveying using drone photogrammetry and point-cloud measurement with terrestrial laser scanners have become established as methods to obtain detailed site data in digital form in shorter times than before. With these advanced technologies, surveying results can be reflected immediately in CIM (Construction Information Modeling) models or earthwork quantity calculations and shared between designers and constructors. In other words, centralizing data digitally from the surveying stage enables seamless linkage across subsequent processes and can greatly improve operational efficiency.

When promoting on-site DX, “start digitizing from surveying” is an effective strategy. In practice, even small and medium-sized firms that are less familiar with ICT and DX are taking the first step by digitizing surveying equipment and software and managing the obtained data in the cloud. By recording measurements on tablets instead of paper field notebooks or handling terrain with point-cloud data instead of CAD drawings, small changes can kick-start site digitalization, ultimately eliminating wasteful work and contributing to work-style reform. Surveying-centered DX is the first step toward transforming the entire job site.

The role and practical penetration of smartphone surveying, RTK, and single-person surveying

The recently emerged smartphone surveying is an indispensable keyword when discussing on-site DX. By combining smartphones or tablets with high-precision GNSS receivers, centimeter-level positioning that once required specialized equipment can now be achieved easily. The core technology here is the RTK (real-time kinematic) method. RTK compares satellite positioning data from a base station and a rover in real time and applies differential corrections to achieve high positioning accuracy; traditionally, this was done with expensive GPS equipment used by surveying specialists. Recently, however, combining smartphones, compact receivers, and reference station data delivered over the Internet (network RTK, etc.) has made this technology accessible and easy to use for many.

Smartphone surveying is attracting attention for its labor-saving and efficiency advantages. The main benefits include:

• Surveying completed by one person: Total station surveys required two or more people for measurement and holding leveling rods, but with a smartphone + GNSS, a single person can measure their current position. This allows site work to continue despite labor shortages.

• Portability and mobility: Smartphone surveying equipment is small and lightweight, enabling quick measurement of required points while walking the site. In high or hazardous areas, it may be possible to take measurements from a safe position with just one device, enabling rapid data collection.

• Real-time data sharing: Survey data captured on a smartphone can be uploaded to the cloud on the spot and shared immediately with office support staff or clients. Sharing data continuously prevents re-measurement and communication errors and speeds up decision-making.

• Low cost and ease of introduction: Compared to dedicated surveying equipment, initial investment is often lower, and existing smartphones can be used, lowering adoption barriers. App operation is intuitive, enabling workers unfamiliar with IT to become proficient in a short time.

• Promotion of data utilization: Since survey results are stored as digital data, they can be easily used for subsequent design and construction management. Functions unique to smartphones—such as geo-tagged photo capture and automatic calculation of distances and areas between measured points—provide high-value data through feature integration.

This combination of smartphone × RTK for single-person surveying is becoming a quiet trend among field practitioners. In fact, moves to equip each worker with “one smartphone surveying device per person” are being seen on sites, allowing anyone to quickly perform a survey when needed. This enables site personnel to measure on the spot and immediately check and share data, whereas previously they might have had to wait for a surveying team to arrive. Smartphone surveying is being used in various situations such as quality checks at small-scale land development sites, recording the locations of buried utilities in roadwork, and assessing damage at disaster sites. Advanced applications are also emerging—for example, overlaying design data as AR on a smartphone screen for layout marking—so on-site use will likely expand further.

Integrated data use from surveying through construction, inspection, and maintenance

One of i-Construction’s principles is integrated data use. This idea is to link and reuse information obtained at each project stage to improve efficiency. Especially when spatial data obtained during surveying are used as the starting point for design, construction, inspection, and maintenance, redundant re-surveying or re-entry of the same site information for each task can be eliminated. By “using data entered once many times,” each phase connects seamlessly under a centralized information base.

For example, 3D terrain data and location information of existing structures obtained by surveying can be directly applied to planning and creation of CIM models for design. Designers can plan construction while referring to accurate as-built models, and the resulting 3D design data can be handed over to constructors to serve as data for machine guidance or as standards for construction control. During construction, sensor data from heavy machinery and measurement data for construction management are sequentially stored in a cloud-based common data environment, allowing clients and supervising engineers to check progress in real time. At the inspection stage, those construction data can be used to efficiently verify as-built conditions and quality; after completion, 3D models and survey data are registered in a maintenance database and used for inspections and repair planning.

To realize such integrated data use, it is necessary to standardize and open data formats and conventions. Currently, governments and industry groups are advancing standardization of BIM/CIM and refining electronic delivery procedures, with new rules such as designating 3D models as contract documents for construction. This will make 3D data an official source of information rather than mere references, encouraging repeated use in later stages. As on-site DX progresses, it will also be possible to aim for advanced uses—such as creating a digital twin of completed infrastructure and combining it with sensor monitoring data to predict deterioration and optimize repairs.

Supporting this entire flow is the aforementioned digital data acquisition starting at the surveying stage. Capturing accurate and highly reusable data from the start enables smooth utilization in later processes. Conversely, errors or inconsistencies in site data can hinder model creation and construction management downstream. Therefore, high-accuracy surveying and data sharing are essential for quality assurance and efficiency in the era of on-site DX.

The workforce supporting i-Construction and changes in on-site skills

As digital technologies permeate job sites, the required workforce profile and skills are also changing. Supporting sites in the i-Construction era requires not only traditional craftsmanship but also “construction DX personnel” with ICT skills. Specifically, individuals who combine digital literacy—able to handle drones, GNSS surveying equipment, and 3D design data—with practical civil engineering knowledge and logistical skills are in demand. In other words, the ideal technician has a hybrid skill set of on-site experience × digital technology.

Trends in on-site skills are gradually shifting. For example, classic skills like drawing interpretation and layout marking remain important, but these tasks increasingly take place on tablets with electronic drawings or using AR technologies. In surveying, workers must learn not only how to operate transit instruments and levels but also how to handle RTK-GNSS receivers and point-cloud processing software. Heavy equipment operators need to understand the control panels of machine-control-capable machines and be able to execute work according to the data. Additionally, the ability to analyze and improve site issues using cloud-based construction history data and IoT sensor information is gaining importance.

To acquire these new skills, corporate and industry-wide human resource development is also intensifying. Training includes hands-on ICT construction operation, basic 3D CAD education, and on-site paired training between younger staff and veterans to ensure cross-generational skill transfer. Veterans leverage their rich field knowledge to explore digital tool applications, while younger workers use IT proficiency to propose efficiency improvements—efforts that fuse their strengths. While leadership and understanding from management are essential for DX promotion, cultivating “practical DX personnel” from the field is the key to truly embedding i-Construction.

Changes in the workforce are also impacting work styles and employment. With the introduction of remote operation and telework, not all tasks require long on-site stays. As a result, it is expected that more people will be able to work while balancing childcare or caregiving, and experienced senior engineers could provide remote guidance after retirement. Moreover, as digitalization reduces heavy and hazardous work, the construction industry’s image may improve, encouraging participation from younger generations and women. The combination of diversified personnel and upskilled capabilities is helping i-Construction drive the industry toward sustainability.

A practical example of smartphone surveying adoption: LRTK’s easy high-accuracy surveying

Finally, we introduce LRTK, a noteworthy solution for smartphone surveying that has attracted attention as a practical adoption example. LRTK is a system developed by a startup originating from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, consisting of a compact RTK-GNSS receiver and a smartphone app. By attaching the dedicated receiver to an iPhone or iPad, a device weighing only about 125 g turns a smartphone into a centimeter-accuracy surveying instrument. Its pocketable compactness and the convenience of being ready to measure whenever needed are key features.

Using the LRTK smartphone app, you can record the latitude, longitude, and elevation of a desired point with high accuracy simply by tapping a button at the target location. It automatically supports Japan’s geodetic systems (such as the World Geodetic System, plane rectangular coordinate systems, and geoid height), so users need not worry about tedious coordinate conversions on site. Each recorded point can include timestamps and notes, and the set of measured points can be uploaded to LRTK Cloud with a single tap. Measured points are plotted on a cloud map, allowing office personnel to check results immediately. Functions such as automatic calculation of distances and areas when multiple points are measured allow necessary computations to be performed right on site.

Compared to conventional RTK surveying equipment, LRTK’s significantly lower cost is another major attraction. You do not need to buy expensive gear for multiple people; equipping each site staff member’s smartphone with one LRTK unit realizes the concept of one surveying tool per person. LRTK is being adopted not only by construction and surveying companies but also by local governments, where it aids rapid damage assessment at disaster sites and improves efficiency in infrastructure inspections. By creating an environment where “anyone can measure anytime, anywhere,” site productivity and the volume of accumulated data will increase dramatically.

The emergence of such smartphone surveying solutions has greatly lowered the barrier to DX. High-accuracy positioning, once left to specialists, is now within reach of anyone on site to measure and use as needed. The important thing is to take a small first step and incorporate digital tools into the job site. By effectively using easy smartphone surveying solutions like LRTK as a DX ace, you can connect to productivity improvements and work-style reforms in construction sites from 2025 onward.