Hyundai Engineering & Construction has introduced a "remote-control tower crane" to domestic sites for the first time, a system that can replace high-risk tasks at construction sites.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction said on the 30th that it held a demonstration of the remote-control tower crane technology on the 29th at the construction site of "THE H Adelstar" in Juam-dong, Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province.
On the same day, Hyundai Engineering & Construction also showcased smart construction technologies for site safety and task support, including indoor inspection drones, material transport robots, and an Autonomous Driving mobile platform.
Officials from related public institutions and the smart construction sector attended the demonstration, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership, Gyeonggi Provincial Government, the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA), the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), the Korean Society of Civil Engineers, and the Korea Construction Automation and Robotics Society. They reviewed operational results following the introduction of the remote-control-based tower crane to the field.
The remote-control tower crane is designed so operators can run the equipment from a ground control room without directly entering elevated, high-risk work zones. Hyundai Engineering & Construction received approval for a "special exception to construction machinery safety standards" from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and applied the technology at an actual construction site in Korea for the first time.
The system combines omnidirectional monitoring cameras with low-latency remote-control technology. It is designed so the operator can control the tower crane from a ground-based remote control room. A total of nine cameras are installed on the tower crane, enabling real-time, multi-angle monitoring across the entire working radius. It also secures visibility into blind spots that were difficult to check from the traditional cab aloft.
Along with live work video, key safety information such as wind speed and the tower crane collision avoidance system is integrated and transmitted to the control room. In particular, by applying low-latency communication technology that enables control responses within 0.01 seconds, it minimizes delays between control inputs and equipment reactions, making immediate operation possible even in a remote-control environment. The operator can run the equipment more stably while maintaining a view and operating environment similar to the cab aloft and can identify and respond to risks in advance during work.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction demonstrated remote operation at the "Innovation R&D construction robot technology demonstration" held in June 2024 at the Robotics Lab in Mabuk-dong, Yongin. At the time, it implemented remote control by using low-latency communication technology and multi-faceted sensors, confirming the technical completeness and applicability of the remote tower crane.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction advanced the related technology and, as the first among domestic builders, introduced a remote-control tower crane to an actual multi-family housing construction site. In particular, the equipment showcased at this demonstration is not a small unit for maintenance or auxiliary tasks, but a large unit typically installed at multi-family housing sites, reaching a height of about 50 meters.
By separating the operator from the elevated, high-risk environment inherent to tower crane work, it can reduce the risk of falls and the burden of repeated climbs. Operating the equipment from a ground remote control room minimizes the effects of weather changes or extreme environments, and the digitization of the tower crane operation process enables systematic management of work paths and operating status.
A Hyundai Engineering & Construction official said, "We introduced Korea's first remote-control tower crane technology at construction sites to strengthen safety management and improve working conditions in high-risk environments," adding, "we will expand digital-based operating methods to key work areas to enhance the stability and efficiency of site operations."