UltraWis tests remote control of tower crane

Israeli start up UltraWis’ ground control system, Widesite, was used over a 10 month pilot period by Israeli construction firm Tidhar group.

The jobsite includes three cranes, two Potain flat tops and one Yongmao

Tidhar, together with Harel insurance firm, are building a new project for Kiryat Ono College in Israel, which includes three buildings, eight floors each, for a total of 63,000 square metres.

The jobsite includes three cranes, two from Potain and one Yongmao. As part of this mutual pilot, UltraWis installed its Widesite system on Tidhar’s Potain MDT 302 flat top tower, to perform crane operations from the ground.

Tidhar said operating a crane from the ground can bring productivity and safety benefits, as well as improve work conditions.

The Widesite system includes a set of sensors installed on the crane in three positions. Cameras supply and record a continuous video stream from the site. Data is captured in real time with overlapping of the recorded scene for added safety and improved decision making. Transmitting the data in real time to a ground operations station means all workers can communicate from the ground and eliminate the need to climb to the higher cabin, the company said.

The Widesite system includes a set of sensors installed on the crane in three positions to record and video stream from the site 24-7

The solution included an end user application, suitable for a range of devices, mobile or tablet, and can provide tracking, monitoring, management, and statistical information.

A spokesperson said, “Through the 10 month pilot we have compared operations from the ground and from the top cabin, in parallel. Our aim was to make sure that current operation performance level isn’t affected.

“Once we achieved that, we tested increase in productivity. We found that productivity increased in at least 30 per cent, mostly due to working from the ground and avoiding time required for climbing.

“It also meant we could identify targets for lifting on the ground automatically, saving time.

“Through the pilot we have added a new feature for asset management. We label raw materials, and automatically define target and destination points to lift, saving operation time.”