New Business Opportunities Enabled by RTK Technology
RTK is a technology that corrects satellite positioning errors to achieve centimeter-level accuracy. Since the 1990s, Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority has been developing a network of electronic reference stations, and with the decreasing cost of hardware, professional use of RTK has finally begun to take off in recent years. Today, RTK is being applied not only in construction surveying but across a wide range of industries, creating entirely new business opportunities that did not exist before.

For example, major telecommunications carriers are entering the RTK correction service market by leveraging their own base station networks.

SoftBank's "ichimill" is a service that provides high-precision positioning using a network of approximately 3,300 base stations across Japan. It is also being tested in combination with autonomous agricultural machinery and drones.

GNSS business models are rapidly emerging, including KDDI’s “VRS-RTK” and NTT Docomo’s “High-Precision GNSS Correction Service.” There is growing momentum to offer high-precision location data as a commercial data service.

On the field side, the democratization of RTK technology is expanding opportunities for creating new services. With the ability to instantly share high-precision positioning data via the cloud, surveying and construction companies can now transform the data they collect into high-value information and offer it as a service to other firms. Furthermore, advanced positioning technologies that were once exclusive to major general contractors are now accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises, enabling them to establish a competitive edge by leveraging RTK data for differentiation.

A diagram outlining potential new business models enabled by RTK utilization. With high-precision positioning data as the foundation, a wide range of services—such as surveying information services and location data analytics—become possible.

The business potential brought by RTK adoption is vast and varied. From models that turn high-precision location data itself into a service—such as subscription-based correction data services—to value creation through the enhancement of existing operations, such as rapid data delivery or precision construction contracting, new revenue streams can be generated depending on the ideas applied.

In the next section, we will explore concrete service examples across different industries.

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Services Leveraging High-Precision Positioning
Let’s take a look at the impact of centimeter-level RTK positioning across different industries. In sectors such as construction, surveying, infrastructure maintenance, and mobility (including autonomous driving, logistics, and smart cities), innovative services that were previously unimaginable are now becoming a reality.

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Data Service Business in the Surveying and Construction Industry
In the construction and surveying industries, the introduction of RTK not only greatly enhances operational efficiency but also opens the door to new business opportunities through the provision of data to third parties. For example, a construction company could share or sell high-precision as-built survey data obtained from its own projects to local infrastructure managers or other contractors.

Instead of delivering information in traditional formats like paper drawings or PDFs, companies can now distribute accurate, globally georeferenced 3D data via the cloud. Recipients can immediately import the data into GIS or CAD systems for practical use. This seamless data sharing improves collaboration with clients and project stakeholders, contributing to the overall efficiency of the project.

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For surveying companies, providing RTK positioning data itself represents a business opportunity. By combining RTK with drone aerial photography or ground-based laser scanning, they can generate millimeter-level corrected point cloud data or orthophotos and offer them as a subscription-based service.

In fact, with the growing adoption of ICT-based construction under Japan’s i-Construction initiative promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, some small and mid-sized surveying firms that have quickly adopted the latest positioning technologies are beginning to gain a competitive edge. This field holds great potential, as it enables companies to both improve internal productivity and monetize their data by offering it to other businesses.

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RTK Utilization in Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance
In the field of infrastructure maintenance—including roads, railways, and bridges—RTK is creating new service value. Accurate location identification is essential for monitoring the condition of large-scale and expansive structures, and the introduction of RTK is accelerating the digitalization and efficiency of inspection tasks.

For example, railway companies are using measurement trolleys equipped with GNSS and laser scanners to detect deformations in tracks and sleepers. By combining high-precision RTK positioning data with 3D scan data, they can achieve far more accurate asset management than with traditional methods.

Highway companies are also introducing systems that attach precise location data to inspection records of road surfaces and bridge piers for centralized management. In the future, it is expected that infrastructure operators will share a common high-precision geodetic framework, leading to the standardization of maintenance workflows based on RTK positioning.

From a new business perspective, advanced infrastructure inspection services can be developed using RTK. For example, drones equipped with RTK-enabled cameras can be used to automatically inspect bridges and dams, accurately mapping the locations of cracks and generating detailed reports. Similarly, patrol vehicles fitted with RTK-enabled GPS compasses can detect and report road surface deformations while driving.

By leveraging RTK data, highly precise maintenance solutions can be offered. As infrastructure continues to age, these types of solutions are increasingly valuable for enhancing safety and reducing costs—meeting growing demand from both public and private sectors.

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Data Utilization for Autonomous Driving, Logistics, and Smart Cities
In the fields of autonomous driving and smart logistics, high-precision location data is essential. For lane-level self-positioning of autonomous vehicles and path control of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), standalone GPS is insufficient—centimeter-level accuracy provided by RTK is required.

In fact, some commercially available high-end vehicles are already being equipped with RTK-capable GNSS receivers, helping to eliminate navigation errors and enabling advanced driver assistance systems.

In the logistics sector, high-precision GNSS compasses are being used to control the orientation and position of vehicles such as AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) in port yards and autonomous forklifts within warehouses. Some companies are installing RTK base stations within their facilities to manage their fleet of vehicles with centimeter-level accuracy, helping to address labor shortages and improve safety.

In smart cities, RTK data plays a powerful role in building digital twins of urban environments. Infrastructure such as streetlights and traffic signals can be precisely 3D-mapped using RTK positioning and integrated into urban management GIS systems, enabling more efficient maintenance and advanced disaster preparedness planning.

Location-based services linked to smartphones or AR glasses are also a possibility. For example, in tourist areas, RTK can be used to accurately determine a user’s location and display pinpointed AR explanations of historical landmarks based on their exact position—something that would be difficult to achieve with standard GPS accuracy. This is a promising area for the development of new service models that are only possible with high-precision positioning.

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How to Develop New Business Models Utilizing RTK
To successfully launch a new business leveraging high-precision positioning, it is essential to have a solid understanding of the technology along with a strategic rollout plan. Below are key points to consider when building and deploying a business model based on RTK data utilization.

• Identify Clear Needs: Start by identifying specific needs that require centimeter-level positioning. Consider what on-site challenges can be solved through high-precision location data—such as reducing surveying workload, improving inspection accuracy, or enabling unmanned construction—and envision concrete use cases. Based on this, develop a service concept that combines these needs with your company’s strengths.

• Build the Technical Infrastructure: To utilize RTK, both a base station and a rover station are required. While you can build your own network of base stations, leveraging existing correction data services—such as those provided by SoftBank or the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan—is often faster. Equip your operation with the necessary GNSS receivers, antennas, and communication tools to ensure stable positioning in the field. Depending on the use case, consider network-based RTK that receives correction data via the internet, or utilize CLAS signals from QZSS (Michibiki) for satellite-based corrections.

• Human Resource Development and Operational Guidelines: When introducing new technology, improving personnel skills and establishing an effective operational structure are crucial. Train staff on the principles of RTK positioning and how to operate the equipment, and create standardized procedures to maintain data quality—such as calibration using known points and checking signal conditions. Educate all users to ensure the system is accessible to everyone, and share the specific precautions required for high-precision operations to maintain consistent service quality.

• Partnerships and Differentiation: Collaborate with technology partners or platform providers as needed. For example, you can add value to your services by partnering with companies that offer positioning cloud services, or work with drone manufacturers and IoT companies to create comprehensive solutions. By developing unique ways to utilize and analyze data—something competitors cannot easily replicate—you can establish clear differentiation in the market.

• Small-Scale Implementation and Validation: Instead of launching on a large scale from the start, begin with a small-scale Proof of Concept (PoC). By actually providing services using RTK, you can identify technical challenges and gather user feedback. For example, conduct trial deployments at selected construction sites or specific facilities, and measure the impact—such as reductions in work time or cost savings from improved accuracy. This approach allows you to refine your business model and makes it easier to scale and promote the service based on proven success stories.

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By following these steps, you can steadily build and expand a new business model centered around RTK technology. The key is how to translate the strength of “high precision” into real customer value. Rather than simply adopting the technology, clearly define how its precision will solve customer problems and what new value it can deliver. This clarity is the most direct path to business success.

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RTK Utilization with LRTK
For companies considering entry into the high-precision positioning business, initial costs and operational complexity can be major challenges. This is where the compact and user-friendly wireless RTK system, LRTK, is gaining attention.

LRTK is a pocket-sized RTK-GNSS receiver developed by a startup originating from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. It enables centimeter-level positioning simply by attaching it to a smartphone (iPhone/iPad). With an all-in-one design that integrates the antenna, receiver, battery, and communication module, it weighs just 125g—making it extremely lightweight. LRTK is drawing interest as a truly mobile surveying device that can be easily carried and used directly in the field.

By utilizing LRTK, RTK positioning—once reliant on specialized equipment and skilled technicians—becomes significantly more accessible. For example, site supervisors and workers can each carry a smartphone paired with an LRTK device, allowing anyone to perform surveying or verify as-built conditions. The captured location data and point clouds can be instantly shared via the cloud, enabling real-time information exchange between the field and the office.

Moreover, since the device is significantly more affordable than traditional high-end surveying equipment, deploying “one unit per person” is a realistic option. In this way, RTK utilization with LRTK offers an optimal solution that combines low cost, high precision, and ease of use.