At a recent progress meeting on intelligent construction held by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, cutting-edge achievements and practical experiences in the field were showcased. A notable highlight was the application of intelligent construction methods in the building of the T2 terminal at Kunming Changshui Airport.
The expansion and renovation project of Kunming Changshui Airport represents a total investment of 66.5 billion yuan. The northern section of the T2 terminal is being constructed by a consortium led by China Construction Third Engineering Bureau, in collaboration with China Construction Eighth Engineering Division and Yunnan Airport Construction and Development Company. Project stakeholders have jointly established a "Digital Platform for Expansion and Renovation," which breaks down data barriers across design, construction, and operational phases. This system enables comprehensive, real-time monitoring and one-touch management of progress, quality, safety, and environmental protection throughout the project lifecycle. By utilizing digital design, intelligent production, and smart construction techniques, the platform effectively addresses complex challenges typical of large-scale airport terminal projects, such as intensive interdisciplinary coordination and difficult integration processes, thereby enhancing construction efficiency.
One of the standout innovations presented at the meeting was a 5G-enabled intelligent tower crane remote control system, developed and deployed by China Construction Third Engineering Bureau. From a remote cockpit located hundreds of meters away from the construction site, operators use high-definition screens and real-time data to perform precise lifting operations with simple joystick movements. Additionally, intelligent inspection drones allow for cross-regional project management, enabling staff in Kunming to control drones operating as far away as Shenzhen in real time.
The event also featured various construction robots, including a 3D scanning robot demonstrated by the Kunming International Aviation Hub Project Construction Headquarters. A representative explained that the robot can quickly scan finished construction work, generate high-precision 3D point cloud models, and compare them in real time with BIM design models. This allows for the detection of construction deviations and errors that are difficult to identify with the naked eye, ensuring stringent quality control.