Kobelco Construction Machinery looks at remote excavator operation

2200 Kobelco Construction Machinery is the latest machinery maker to join the growing number of firms looking at remote control excavator operation. Called the K-Dive concept, it is currently under development for use exclusively with the Japanese maker’s excavators.

With K-Dive, Kobelco is looking to provide a means of remote machine control that enables an operator to sit in a replicated control platform, located in an office environment, and be able to see and control an excavator located anywhere in the world. The firm sees many advantages for such a system, including operation of equipment working in harsh or dangerous environments, and to manage operator shortages with the convenience of remote operation without having to travel to job sites.