CASE C34 · JP · 2023
MLIT Kanto Bureau: aerial and underwater drone trials for breakwater and pier inspection at Kawasaki Port
In 2022–2023 MLIT's Kanto bureau tested aerial and underwater drones for inspecting a breakwater and pier at Kawasaki Port. Underwater, a multibeam sonar was used to check structure surfaces and seabed scour. The document focuses on equipment and aims and gives no quantitative results.
| Owner | MLIT Kanto Regional Development Bureau (port facilities at Kawasaki Port) |
| Provider | — |
| Location | Kawasaki Port (Higashi-Ogishima breakwater), Kanagawa, Japan |
| Aircraft | Aerial drone (not named); underwater drone (~30 kg, 7 thrusters, 300 m depth rating) |
| Sensors | RGB camera, FHD underwater camera, multibeam sonar (1–2 MHz, ~30 m range) |
Before
Not described in the source (conventionally divers and boat-based visual survey).
With drones
November 2022: aerial imaging of superstructure defects; February 2023: underwater drone with multibeam sonar for submerged surfaces and seabed scour/deposition.
Outcomes
| Metric | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| result | feasibility checks only; no time, cost or accuracy figures | Reported |
Caveats & limits
- The document records equipment and test purpose only; no comparison with conventional methods or quantitative results.
- The conventional baseline in this entry is general context, not from the source.
Sources
- インフラDXの取組事例（港湾施設の点検へのドローン活用）Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Full text read
Sources checked: 2026-10-22