Energy Industry's New Technology in Focus: Using LRTK to Apply iPhone Survey Data in PVsyst Analysis

Technological Innovation in Renewables and the Rise of Smartphone Surveying

In the renewable energy sector, particularly in photovoltaic (PV) projects, there is an ongoing demand to improve efficiency and accuracy in design and construction processes. In Japan, efforts to expand renewable energy deployment are accelerating as part of the push to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and plans to build solar power plants are increasing year by year. Accordingly, adopting new technologies to execute projects quickly and reliably has become ever more important. In recent years, a new technological trend—surveying using smartphones (iPhone)—has been attracting attention. Traditionally, surveying required specialized equipment and multiple-person teams, but today, combining a smartphone with a compact device makes single-person, high-accuracy positioning possible. This innovative surveying method is affecting a wide range of activities in renewable energy projects, from design through construction.

As part of the digitalization of surveying, aerial photogrammetry and laser measurements using drones have also become popular. However, drones cannot always be flown freely due to aviation law permit requirements, weather and time constraints, and no-fly zones. In that respect, smartphone surveying—usable easily from the ground—proves powerful in environments where drones are difficult to operate, such as urban areas, forests, and confined sites. Because people can directly measure small ground-level elevation changes and tight spaces, detailed on-site condition data can be obtained.

What is particularly notable in the energy industry is the fusion of smartphones with RTK (real-time kinematic) technology. RTK is a technique using GNSS (global navigation satellite systems) to achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy, which once required expensive equipment. Recently, compact RTK-capable devices called LRTK have emerged, allowing easy connection to smartphones like the iPhone. This enables on-site "lightweight surveying" with a smartphone, significantly reducing the workload compared to traditional methods.

What PVsyst Is: The Standard Tool for Solar Power Simulation

An indispensable application for such survey data is PVsyst. PVsyst is a simulation software widely used worldwide for designing and forecasting the power output of solar PV systems. By entering panel layouts, meteorological data (annual irradiation and temperature), and system configurations (module and inverter specifications), users can analyze annual energy yield and loss factors in detail. PVsyst is especially strong in shade analysis (analyzing power loss due to shading) and can reflect the impact of nearby buildings, trees, and terrain shadows in simulations.

To perform highly accurate simulations with PVsyst, the quality of input data is crucial. If information such as module layout, terrain on sloped ground, and the locations and heights of surrounding obstructions are not accurate, the power production forecasts will contain errors. Therefore, accurately acquiring and reflecting on-site survey data is key to reliable solar power simulations. In recent years, the use of 3D surveying (precision measurements from drone photogrammetry or terrestrial laser scanning) has also expanded to improve simulation accuracy. For that reason, the ability to efficiently collect on-site data with a smartphone is particularly valuable.

Benefits of Collecting Survey Data with iPhone + LRTK

Modern iPhones are equipped with LiDAR scanners (optical distance-measuring sensors) that can 3D-scan the surrounding environment and capture point cloud data. This capability alone is revolutionary, but combining it with an LRTK device allows the captured data to be assigned accurate positional coordinates (absolute coordinates). Conventional smartphone GPS had meter-level errors, but using RTK enables positioning with errors of only a few centimeters, matching surveying equipment accuracy.

Surveying with an iPhone + LRTK offers the following advantages:

• Labor savings: Surveying can be performed with only a smartphone and a small device, eliminating the need for bulky equipment and multiple personnel. Measurements can be started quickly on-site as needed, shortening survey lead times.

• High accuracy: Centimeter-level accuracy provided by RTK meets the precision required for tasks like PV module placement. Height measurements are also highly accurate, allowing subtle slopes and elevation differences to be reflected in the data.

• Real-time: Collected survey data can be plotted on the phone screen on the spot, enabling immediate checks for omissions or errors. Cloud integration allows instant sharing with the office so designers can use the data immediately.

• Earthwork volume calculation: Terrain data can be used to automatically calculate cut-and-fill volumes. This quickly indicates how much land shaping (grading) is needed, aiding cost estimates and design planning.

• Multifunctionality: LRTK-enabled apps can perform single-point positioning, continuous positioning (while walking), automatic geotagging of photos, and even 3D scanning using the iPhone's LiDAR in a single workflow. All collected point cloud and photo data are stored with location information, making it easy to recreate site conditions in 3D within design software later.

How Survey Data Is Specifically Used in PVsyst Analysis

How can these high-accuracy survey data actually be used in PVsyst design and analysis processes? Below are the main application points.

Layout optimization by importing terrain data

Understanding site terrain (elevation differences, slopes, and undulations) is essential when designing a solar plant layout. Creating a terrain model from iPhone + LRTK survey data allows you to import the terrain data into PVsyst. Specifically, you can compile surveyed points' latitude, longitude, and elevation into a CSV file and import it with PVsyst's import function to recreate the site's 3D shape. Based on this terrain model, you can optimize layout—for example, adjusting row spacing on sloped ground or prioritizing placement in areas with higher irradiation. You can also adjust racking heights to keep panels at uniform heights above ground or reduce unnecessary land grading, helping inform decisions that minimize earthworks.

Improved accuracy in obstruction measurement and shadow analysis

PVsyst's strength—shadow analysis—requires precise input of shading elements around PV panels. Using iPhone + LRTK surveying, you can accurately measure the positions and heights of nearby buildings, trees, utility poles, and wires. For example, for nearby trees you can capture not only trunk position and height but also the crown (branches and foliage) extent as point cloud data with the iPhone's LiDAR. Using this information, you can build 3D obstruction models in PVsyst and reproduce their spatial relationships to the PV arrays. PVsyst can calculate time-specific shading along the sun's path, so models based on measured data allow more accurate estimation of power losses due to shading. Since solar altitude changes seasonally, an obstacle that is not problematic in summer can cast long shadows in winter. Detailed models from measured data enable seasonal impact assessment, facilitating optimal year-round layout planning. Moreover, shaded panels cause not only reduced irradiance but also electrical mismatch losses in the system; PVsyst accounts for these effects in its energy calculations, so accurate shading input is increasingly important.

Additionally, centimeter-level positioning by LRTK allows faithful reproduction of relative relationships with surrounding terrain and structures. Measuring the heights of adjacent buildings or site boundary walls on-site ensures that even minor shading factors are not overlooked. Accurate shadow analysis minimizes the risk of later discovering that unanticipated shading reduced power output after construction.

Feedback into design and iterative verification

Survey data captured by smartphone can be fed directly back into the design process. Shortening the cycle from survey to design reflection makes it easy to perform multiple layout scenario evaluations. For instance, you can run yield simulations in PVsyst with the real terrain data imported, then iterate panel layouts based on results in a short time. Where map data or coarse elevation data would previously have been used as substitutes, measured data provide validation that enables more informed decisions from the design stage.

Survey points can also be linked with photos and notes, so designers can clearly understand "what was at each location" from their desks. For example, recording site information such as "a high-voltage line runs along the northwest corner" or "there is a deciduous tall tree on the south side that becomes leafy seasonally" together with surveyed points ensures these factors are accounted for in design. This close integration of on-site information and design improves the overall project quality.

A New Dimension of Design Visualization Using AR and Point Cloud Data

Another advantage of combining iPhone and LRTK is the visualization enabled by AR (augmented reality) and point cloud data. Pairing high-accuracy position information with AR makes it possible to overlay digitally created design plans onto real landscapes. For example, if you convert a PVsyst layout into a 3D model and display it in AR through the iPhone, stakeholders can intuitively see how the completed installation will look on the actual site. Because LRTK enables precise position alignment, virtual panels can be projected on-site with centimeter-level accuracy, allowing verification of installation space, aesthetics, and landscape considerations in the field. Using LRTK's coordinate-guidance features, you can also navigate to positions defined in the design drawings on-site. This enables precise marking of planned panel locations and cable burial routes, preventing rework during construction.

Meanwhile, there is a growing use of site 3D models obtained as point clouds in the design phase. Point clouds acquired with an iPhone's LiDAR and LRTK include detailed representations not only of the ground surface but also of structures and vegetation. Importing these into CAD or BIM tools can recreate the site as a digital twin before design. By simulating panel layouts on the digital twin and comparing them with PV simulation results, you can fine-tune designs to better match reality. Completed design data can then be projected back onto the site in AR for verification, creating a cycle of digital-to-real iteration that enables highly accurate project validation.

Project Efficiency Gains from Labor Reduction and Higher Accuracy

The labor savings and higher accuracy introduced by smartphone surveying dramatically enhance the overall efficiency of PV projects. Time and personnel required for surveying are reduced, allowing more resources to be devoted to design analysis and adjustments. Because planning begins with high-quality data from the outset, there are fewer design changes and rework downstream, resulting in overall project cost reductions. In large-scale mega-solar projects, the vast land area increases surveying requirements, but using smartphones with LRTK enables phased, area-by-area data aggregation to progress planning efficiently.

For example, when planning a mega-solar installation on extensive sloped terrain, smartphone surveying can capture detailed elevation differences and support layout designs that minimize necessary land grading. In some cases, previously overlooked local high points were detected beforehand, and layout adjustments made considering their effects led to a few percent increase in annual energy yield. Calculating earthwork volumes before construction also allowed optimization of heavy equipment and material procurement, resulting in shorter construction schedules and cost savings. The combination of smartphone survey data and PVsyst analysis is thus a prime example of reducing project risk while improving performance.

Furthermore, the high-accuracy data obtained serve as persuasive material for stakeholders (investors, power utilities, etc.) by increasing the reliability of energy yield simulations. Detailed simulation results and shading impact data based on precise measurements provide objective evidence that supports project viability, speeds up decision-making, and facilitates financing negotiations.

The New On-site Reality Opened Up by the Smartphone-Complete Survey "LRTK"

As introduced in this article, smartphone-complete surveying using iPhone and LRTK brings many benefits to the design and development process of solar power plants. A workflow entirely handled by a smartphone—from surveying to simulation to AR visualization—constitutes a strong example of DX (digital transformation) in the energy industry. This technological innovation, which combines reduced on-site burden and improved accuracy, has the potential to become the new standard in future renewable energy projects.

The disruptive smartphone surveying solution LRTK now makes it possible for "anyone, anytime, anywhere" to accurately capture on-site conditions. For PV designers and engineers, the convenience and reliability offered by LRTK will be a powerful asset. If you are planning or simulating a solar power plant, consider exploring this smartphone-complete surveying option. The combination of precise on-site data and PVsyst analysis is likely to strongly support the path to project success.