Telecom towers have always been a cornerstone of modern communication since they act as bridges between communication devices. Imagine a world without telecom power; how boring it would be to perform daily activities without mobile phones and efficient network infrastructure, right? Transmission of data signals from one place to another requires good conditions of towers and requires crucial inspections.
There was a time when drone inspection was not a thing; skilled workers used to climb long towers for regular inspections. Traditionally, workers used to check the condition of telecom power for any damage, wear or alignment issues; such methods were very time-consuming and very risky for the lives of workers.
Then there came the need for drone inspections; specially designed drone inspections came into being with cameras and sensors that started doing the inspection job comparatively quite easier and safer than the traditional methods. In this blog, we are going to discuss the comparison of conventional Vs drone-based telecom towers and why drones have become the utmost priority for maintaining telecom towers.
What Was The Traditional Telecom Climbing Method?
There is no doubt that human inspection allows close-up looks, hands-on evaluation and much more intense inspections, but it comes with a lot of inherent challenges and risks. While practising traditional methods of telecom tower inspections, workers used to climb the highest towers all alone and perform detailed inspections. That exhaustive inspection was done for the signs of wear, tear, rust or any misaligned components that are hindering the performance of telecom operations.
How Do Drone-Based Telecom Tower Inspections Work?
Before we dive into the detailed comparison between traditional methods of telecom tower inspections and modern drone-based inspection, let’s first discover how drone technology works. The drone-based inspection normally uses aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are designed with cameras and sensors. These cameras and sensors are responsible for capturing high-resolution thermal images, videos and data while identifying any issues of rust or cracks.
Key Features Of Drones
Following are the key features of drone-based telecom inspections
- AI drones can detect even minute abnormalities in the performance of towers
- They can detect loose bolts or damaged cables instantly
- They can successfully indicate electricity issues
- Drones provide comprehensive data that is required to make an informed decision.
Drone Inspection Vs Traditional Climbing Method
Here is a detailed comparison between drone-based telecom tower inspection Vs traditional climbing methods and why a company should always go for drone inspections and make the wiser decision.
Safety Comparison
Safety comes first. Every industry, especially the company operating telecom towers, should prioritise the safety of their workers. Traditional methods of telecom inspection involved high climbing of workers. Workers had to navigate the heights, beat strong winds and had to operate the equipment in the heights, resulting in the likelihood of accidents. Whereas, drone inspection involves the opposite approach. Drones successfully eliminated the need for human involvement in the inspection process by letting the workers be safe on the ground by being in the air itself.
Time Efficiency Comparison
Another reason for not practising Traditional telecom inspection methods is also that it is quite time intensive. First, companies had to hire the workers, then they had to invest much time, energy and money in training those workers, and then professionals were allowed to operate inspections. Each step required much time whereas now drone inspection is done in a fraction of time. The drone quickly scans the towers in minutes while giving real-time data.
Data Accuracy
There is no doubt that humans can never compete with machines. While climbers used to take a lot of time to examine and then find the potential reasons for inefficiency, there remained room to reach certain areas, leading to incomplete assessments. On the other hand, drone inspection gives precise data with unparalleled accuracy, with built-in high-resolution cameras and sensors that can capture every detail of abnormality and subtle misalignments.
Regulatory Compliance
In traditional inspection methods, when workers used to climb high to inspect towers, companies had to ensure that proper compliance was given to the workers with transportation facilities. If there was a worker who was climbing, then companies were responsible for their safety and protection. Ensuring compliance required additional costs and resources, adding complexity to the overall process.
While drones also demand compliance like flight permissions, still comparatively, the resources and energy needed for drone compliance are much less than the requirements of a traditional inspection.
Why should you hire GIS drones for drone inspection services?
Hiring industry experts does not just lower the costs but also gives the guarantee of efficient inspection, especially when it comes to inspecting heights like telecom towers. GIS drones are designed specifically for telecom towers. They are equipped with
- Cutting edge technology
- Drones with High-resolution cameras
- Drones with thermal sensors
- GIS drones provide AI-driven analytics
Conclusion
While comparing traditional telecom tower inspection with drone-based, the significance of the latter is clear now. Drone-based telecom inspections give the most accurate and efficient results while utilising fewer resources, thus minimising workforce and expense.
