Doosan showcases 5G ‘TeleOperation’ excavator at bauma 2019

First published at bauma - April 12, 2019

Charlie Park, Doosan Europe CEO, showcasing Doosan’s 5G remote control DX380LC-5 excavator

Doosan is showcasing one of the first uses globally of 5G technology to remotely control construction and quarrying machines by operating a crawler excavator in South Korea from its bauma stand.

The South Korean construction, quarrying and mining equipment manufacturer has coined the term ‘TeleOperation’ to describe the remote operation of construction equipment. It is being demonstrated this week through the Doosan stand operator booth control of a DX380LC-5 40tonne crawler excavator located over 8,500km away in Incheon, South Korea.

TeleOperation has been co-developed with LG U+, the South Korean telecommunications and data services company. Doosan claims that the TeleOperation demonstration on the Doosan stand is the first to remotely control a machine across such a large distance between locations, which have a time difference of eight hours, using 5G telecommunications technology.

For TeleOperation to function properly, it is essential to deliver live video streaming at the operator’s station in a reliable way that minimises time lag. With its ultra-reliability and low latency (signal delay), the new 5G network overcomes these issues in the Doosan system, providing 10 times faster bandwidth and 10 times lower latency than the 4G network.

Special features incorporated include a low-latency video transmission module with fast video transfer (with encoding and decoding), an important factor in reducing the time delay. LG U+ has also introduced new modules providing low latency image processing to further minimise the time delay. Another factor in creating more effective remote control is the use of Doosan’s innovative electrohydraulic technology in the DX380LC-5 excavator.

The DX380LC-5 excavator being remotely controlled is a standard machine, which allows Doosan to guarantee the performance and the compatibility of third-party attachments and other equipment installed on the excavator. It is possible to carry out both normal operation and TeleOperation with same machine.

The 5G TeleOperation system is being demonstrated throughout the show, but there are set times every day for visitors to the Doosan stand to try the system out for themselves.

Because the LG U+ platform provides a 5G connection that is five to 10 times faster than current 4G systems, the operator has the same real-time control of the remote excavator and with the same high accuracy. 3D machine guidance, real-time diagnostics and a full gauge display are all available at the TeleOperation control booth.

Whilst it can be used for general earthmoving applications, the new TeleOperation system is ideal for operating excavators in dangerous applications such as industrial waste disposal, involving hazardous, toxic or radioactive substances. It is also useful for work on collapsing waste piles and in areas where there are buried mines and other munitions. Safety can be further increased via the zoning and area limitation functions available through the Doosan TeleOperation system.

Stand FM 517