Iron Robotics, Automaton and Automation Design · 2025
Drawor Construction Layout System
by Huaibo Zhu, Ziteng Li and Weihan Chen
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Robotics, Automaton and Automation Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Beijing Institute of Technology
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 21,197
- Verification code EF11765E13 · Verify this award
About Drawor Construction Layout System
Drawor is a construction layout system designed for automated site marking. The Drawor system combines a drone, a layout robot and a total station in one digital workflow. The drone carries the robot and the total station to the site. The robot then deploys the equipment and begins the layout process. Dynamic dual-track technology links the total station with a drone-mounted prism, so obstacles no longer block the line of sight. Millimetre-level accuracy is reached with reduced manual work. The system is intended for complex construction environments.
Emerging within the contemporary landscape of construction technology innovation, Huaibo Zhu's Drawor Construction Layout System represents a noteworthy achievement in integrated robotic workflow design, addressing the persistent challenges of accuracy, efficiency, and documentation in building layout and verification processes through a coordinated multi-device platform that combines terrestrial, aerial, and handheld robotic capabilities within a unified operational ecosystem, the system exemplifies current trajectories in construction automation where autonomous devices increasingly augment human expertise rather than replacing it, extending professional capabilities through precision sensing, continuous documentation, and spatial analysis functions that would prove laborious or impractical through manual methods alone, the compositional presentation demonstrates considerable sophistication in communicating complex technological capabilities through accessible visual language, the triadic arrangement inviting comparison to professional tool systems while the bold yellow and gray palette establishes immediate visual recognition and suggests both industrial robustness and approachable usability, the terrestrial rover component appears designed for autonomous navigation across construction sites, its generous wheel diameter and tread pattern suggesting all-terrain capability while integrated sensor arrays imply obstacle detection and path planning intelligence, the elevated sensor dome potentially houses rotating laser scanning or photogrammetry systems capable of continuous spatial documentation as the device traverses the workspace, the aerial quadcopter extends these capabilities into the vertical dimension, offering elevated perspective documentation, progress monitoring from advantageous viewpoints, and access to areas where terrestrial movement proves difficult or impossible, its camera orientation and stable hover platform design suggest precision imaging and measurement functions, the handheld scanner with tripod base provides human-scale interaction, enabling workers to verify specific measurements, document detailed conditions, or establish reference points that coordinate with the autonomous devices, creating a comprehensive workflow where aerial overview, terrestrial continuous scanning, and targeted human-directed verification complement one another, the formal design language across all three devices demonstrates admirable consistency through shared color identity, proportional relationships, and surface treatment vocabulary that communicates their membership within an integrated family while each maintains distinctive functional character appropriate to its operational mode, the color selection merits particular attention as the vibrant yellow functions simultaneously as brand differentiator, safety visibility marker essential in active construction environments, and psychological signifier of innovation and optimism, while the neutral grays convey technical precision and professional-grade reliability, subtle details throughout including integrated lighting for low-visibility operation, ventilation elements suggesting sophisticated onboard computing, and refined surface transitions between functional zones reveal thoughtful resolution of complex engineering requirements within coherent industrial design expression, the system invites contemplation of how autonomous technologies might reshape construction practices, potentially reducing layout errors that propagate through subsequent building phases, accelerating verification workflows, providing continuous as-built documentation, and creating comprehensive spatial datasets that inform both immediate construction decisions and long-term facility management, one might consider how such integrated robotic platforms could democratize access to precision measurement capabilities previously requiring specialized expertise and equipment, potentially elevating quality standards across diverse construction contexts while simultaneously documenting the building process with unprecedented thoroughness, creating valuable records for future renovation, maintenance, and facility optimization initiatives.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Drawor Construction Layout System is an intelligent unmanned solution that combines a drone, layout robot and total station for intelligent digital collaboration. The drone transports the robot to the site, where it deploys the total station and starts the layout. It uses dynamic dual-track parallel technology and drone-mounted prisms to solve visibility issues caused by obstacles during layout, achieving millimetre-level accuracy. It improves layout accuracy/efficiency, cuts costs, and adapts to complex environments.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Dimensions (W mm x D mm x H mm)
Layout robot: 697 x 396 x 190
Drone (including propeller): 1041 x 661 x 134
Total station: 125 x 106 x 303 - Tags
- Construction layout, line-marking robot, total station, UAV deployment, unmanned construction, dynamic dual-track technology, digital construction
- Production Technology
- Drawor construction layout system integrates four core technologies: dual-track dynamic measurement, electric permanent magnet suction cup, laser SLAM navigation, and 5G real-time control to achieve millimetre-level accuracy. It adopts advanced materials such as carbon fibre drones and aerospace aluminium alloy robots to improve construction efficiency and measurement accuracy, and supports digital intelligent construction under complex working conditions.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge of this project is to achieve an intelligent and integrated technological breakthrough in the traditional construction layout model while ensuring system stability and feasibility. From a creative point of view, the goal is to break through the limitations of traditional construction layout equipment that operates independently and relies heavily on manual labour, and to design an efficient and precise solution that adapts to complex construction environments.
- Project Duration
- The project begins in March 2024 at the BIT campus and ends in February 2025 at the campus.
- Operation Flow
- The Drawor system achieves efficient building automation line drawing solution through automated collaboration. Drones accurately deliver laying robots and total stations to the site, and the robots autonomously deploy and initiate the laying process. The dynamic dual track technology ensures real-time linkage between the total station and the drone prism, breaking through line of sight limitations and achieving millimeter level positioning. Reduce manual intervention and improve efficiency and accuracy.
- Research
- This study focuses on unmanned and intelligent construction layout and optimises the plan through experiments and field tests. Dynamic dual-track technology breaks through visibility limitations, enables millimetre-level positioning of unmanned aircraft in collaboration with robots, reduces human intervention, enhances adaptability to complex environments, improves accuracy and efficiency, and reduces safety risks.
- Inspiration
- The construction industry is currently undergoing a profound change towards unmanned and automated development, and the traditional form of construction layout has been difficult to meet the high requirements of modern engineering for precision, efficiency and safety. Manual layout has the problems of large error and low efficiency, requiring workers to carry and work on multiple equipments at the same time, which is a cumbersome process and difficult to locate accurately in the complex construction environment.
Colors of Drawor Construction Layout System
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