Promoting Dam Management DX through Patrol Inspections Utilizing the SECOM Group's Technology: Verification Results from the Chubu Dam DX Research Group Presented at the River Engineering Symposium

The "Chubu Dam DX Research Group" (Chairman: Yuji Toda, Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University), in which SECOM CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter "SECOM") and its group company PASCOR CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Meguro-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter "PASCO") participate, has compiled verification results regarding the advancement of dam patrol and inspection into a paper, which was presented orally at the authoritative "River Engineering Symposium" and included in its proceedings.

The "SECOM Drone XX" used for patrol and inspection of the Sagawa Dam, where verification was conducted.

As a verification field, the Sagawa Dam, managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Chubu Regional Development Bureau, Shonai River River Office, conducted test flights of patrols and inspections using autonomous flight drones with the aim of advancing and improving the efficiency of dam management patrols and inspections. In the test flights, the effectiveness and validity of the technology for social implementation were verified, based on core technologies such as drone autonomous flight, high-precision sensing, AI analysis, and cloud data management.

Furthermore, this verification utilized the autonomous flight drone "SECOM Drone XX" developed by SECOM. It is equipped with autonomous flight, remote monitoring, and automatic takeoff/landing functions in conjunction with a drone port, and played a central role in the operational technology for automating patrols. PASCO, which possesses top-class spatial information technology in Japan, was responsible for the analysis and evaluation of acquired data, three-dimensional data processing, and operational model design.

Based on the results of this verification, the establishment of the "Sagawa Model" and its nationwide deployment as a standard model for dam management DX will be pursued, contributing to the realization of sustainable dam management that balances labor saving and advancement through the promotion of DX.

Paper Title and Authors

Verification of Foundational Technologies for Dam Management DX Implementation

-- Results of Autonomous Flight Drone Test Flights at Sagawa Dam by the Chubu Dam Management DX Research Group --

Hideharu Kimura (1) · Yuki Goto (2) · Kaho Matsuo (3) · Yuji Toda (4)

1: Full Member, Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Dr. (Eng.), PASCO CO., LTD., Chubu Business Division

2: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Chubu Regional Development Bureau, Shonai River River Office

3: PASCO CO., LTD., Chubu Business Division

4: Full Member, Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Dr. (Eng.), Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University

Challenges Surrounding Dam Management and the Necessity of DX Promotion

In recent years, with the intensification and increased frequency of disasters, aging infrastructure, and a growing shortage of engineers, the continuous and appropriate management of dams, which are critical infrastructure, has become an urgent issue. Furthermore, conventional inspection methods for dam management, such as using patrol boats and visual inspections, face challenges in terms of safety and efficiency, necessitating a balance between labor saving and advancement.

Against this backdrop, "academic," "governmental," and "industrial" sectors, including Nagoya University, Gifu University, Aichi Institute of Technology, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Chubu Regional Development Bureau Shonai River River Office, the General Incorporated Association Public Service, SECOM, and PASCO, have collaborated to establish the "Chubu Dam Management DX Research Group" in November 2025.

Under the theme of "Dam Management DX," this research group is proceeding with verification for the social implementation of systems that aim to advance, secure, and sustain dam management operations by utilizing foundational technologies such as autonomous flight drones, high-precision sensing, AI analysis, and cloud data management.

Future Initiatives for the Social Implementation of Dam Management DX

In these test flights, the effectiveness of the foundational technologies was confirmed through comprehensive and efficient situation assessment via direct-facing slope photography, the stability of autonomous flight, and the potential for utilizing acquired data in practical operations. This demonstrated the possibility of a new method for advancing and improving the efficiency of dam inspections using drones.

Moving forward, we aim to achieve the automation of patrols that integrate flight, photography, data accumulation, and analysis, while also advancing the sophistication of three-dimensional analysis and AI-based anomaly detection technologies.

Furthermore, based on the verification results at Sagawa Dam, we aim to establish the "Sagawa Model" and pursue its nationwide deployment as a standard model for dam management DX.

Reference

・Developed "SECOM Drone XX," a Security Drone Utilizing AI for Patrol and Intrusion Monitoring, the First in Japan

https://www.secom.co.jp/corporate/release/2023/nr_20231012.html