Ideas for Regional Revitalization Using RTK Technology
With the power of RTK, students can take on local challenges with entirely new perspectives. Below are regional revitalization ideas that utilize RTK and related technologies from three key viewpoints: Tourism, Disaster Prevention, and Smart Cities.

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3D Mapping of Tourist Attractions and Digital Twin Development
For example, high-precision aerial surveying using drones and RTK can be used to create 3D maps of local tourist resources and convert them into digital twins. A digital twin is a virtual reproduction of real-world cities or landmarks, and virtual tours based on these models allow people to experience tourist destinations realistically, even from afar.

Students can create 3D models of local historical and cultural sites and combine them with VR/AR technologies to produce online tourism content. In fact, Singapore has built a digital twin of the entire city to help predict tourist behavior, while Venice, Italy, uses similar models to optimize visitor flow and protect cultural heritage.

By using high-precision RTK positioning data, the spatial accuracy of these 3D models can be ensured, minimizing discrepancies between the virtual and real worlds. As a result, such efforts can enhance visitor satisfaction, increase interest in visiting, and contribute to revitalizing the local economy.

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Utilizing RTK in Disaster Prevention and Response
In response to the frequent natural disasters across Japan, drone surveying combined with RTK has proven to be a powerful tool in the field of disaster prevention. By capturing aerial images of affected areas immediately after a disaster and enhancing their positional accuracy with RTK, high-precision image data can be shared in real time to rapidly generate disaster maps.

While traditional on-site inspections require significant time, converting drone-captured images into orthophotos or 3D point clouds allows for a detailed, three-dimensional understanding of the damage scope and infrastructure impact. This greatly improves the speed and accuracy of initial response and recovery planning.

For example, in past landslide sites, 3D models were quickly generated from aerial imagery to support rescue operations and analyze the causes of the disaster.

With centimeter-level positioning accuracy enabled by RTK, it becomes possible to detect subtle topographic changes by comparing data from different time periods, or to share precise coordinates during search and rescue operations.

Students can collaborate with disaster prevention institutes or local governments to equip self-built drones with RTK receivers and simulate the creation of disaster situation maps during regional disaster drills.

Through such hands-on projects, they can help raise disaster awareness among local residents and contribute to building more resilient communities.

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Precise Data Management in Smart Cities
In smart cities, where sensors and IoT devices are extensively deployed, the accuracy of location data greatly influences the quality of urban services. The high-precision positioning data provided by RTK is extremely valuable for traffic management, infrastructure monitoring, and urban planning.

For example, by applying RTK correction to the operational data of autonomous shuttles or public buses, vehicle positions on the road can be tracked with precision—enabling improvements in traffic signal control and congestion mitigation.

Additionally, capturing human movement and equipment operation at the centimeter level makes it possible to optimize energy supply and enhance crime prevention and disaster response networks. In fact, the adoption of high-precision positioning technologies has been reported to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and increase efficiency in infrastructure management across entire cities.

Such precise data management is extending beyond urban areas to rural regions as well, contributing to mobility support in depopulated areas and the advancement of smart agriculture (precision farming).

Through developing applications that combine local open data and sensor networks with RTK positioning, students can help envision and shape the smart cities of the future.

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Supporting Regional Revitalization with LRTK
Building your own RTK environment typically requires specialized knowledge and equipment, but recently, user-friendly all-in-one RTK solutions have become available.

LRTK is a pocket-sized RTK-GNSS positioning device series developed by Reficia, a startup from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Its all-in-one design integrates the antenna, battery, and communication module, allowing high-precision positioning simply by pairing it with a smartphone.

Thanks to its ease of use in the field and accessibility to centimeter-level accuracy, LRTK is gaining attention as a digital transformation (DX) tool for construction surveying and infrastructure inspection. The LRTK series includes options such as the stationary LRTK Pro2 and the smartphone-mounted LRTK Phone, allowing users to choose the most suitable device based on their application.