Cell Tower Inspections

Cell Tower Inspections

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandates cell tower inspections for safety, maintenance and extending the life span of the infrastructure. Existing cell towers require general inspections as well as after the event of a natural disaster. Potential sites for new cell towers also require inspection. Cell tower inspections involve a lot of manpower and are tremendously risky. The inspection list for a cell tower is detailed, including the structure of the tower, electrical and lighting systems, guy wires, antennas, anchors and transmission lines. From maintenance to monitoring encroaching vegetation, cell tower inspections are an integral aspect of the preservation of the infrastructure.

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Using Drones for Cell Tower Inspections

Cell tower inspections are innately risky to the person conducting the inspection. Scheduling and conflicts of schedule sometimes set the job back. A lot of time goes into planning – weeks of travel time, climbing the tower, reporting, and analyzing the inspector’s findings. Manual inspections cost a lot in labor and resources such as safety equipment and insurance. Implementing a drone inspection significantly improves safety as drones are operated securely from the ground. Drones reduce the time it takes to complete an inspection from weeks to hours, freeing up time to inspect more towers. Our drone pilots have performed three cell tower inspections in one day.

Drones collect and store historical data that can be referred to easily for further analysis and help to plan better subsequent infrastructure. The data collected is immediately sent to the cell tower company allowing the inspector to make quick and efficient decisions. The drone can focus more on quality inspections and scan other parts of the tower such as generators, gas and electric meters, platforms, pedestals, cabinets, and transformers that may otherwise go unnoticed. Drone inspections can catch much more than the human eye, like loose bolts or rust that can cause damage.

Drone inspections allow for ground observation around the tower. The drone can see from a bird’s eye view what a human could not possibly observe. The drone can help determine potential encroaching vegetation or debris that could become hazardous or cause a disruption.

Drone services for simple
to sophisticated applications

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Reduces Safety Risks

Gone are the days when an inspector must climb the cell tower to collect data. The drone allows employees to stay safe on the ground preventing work-related injuries or dropping equipment or tools needed to complete the inspection.

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Saves Time and Money

Drone cell tower inspections reduce the time it takes to inspect miles and multiple locations of cell towers from weeks to hours. Money is saved in labor costs and also earned in an increased number of inspections. Under the right circumstances, a drone pilot can inspect three cell towers daily.

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Increases Rate of Repair Percentage

Drone inspections can quickly identify the need for repairs, thus scheduling maintenance faster. The inspector can see the data in real-time, allowing him to decide actions to take before the inspection is even over.

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Helps Plan Better Infrastructure

Analyzing the drone data can help plan for improved infrastructure as the cell tower industry grows.

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Identifies Vegetation Encroachment

Drones can analyze the prediction of vegetation growth that could be hazardous to the cell tower and cause disruptions.

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Collects Historical Data for Future Reference

Drones collect and store data in real-time that can be referenced for future purposes rather than relying on the memory of an inspector.

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Improves Inspection and Detection

Inspectors can focus more on the quality of inspection safely from the ground. They can inspect other aspects of the cell tower that were once looked over, such as the generators, transformers and meters. Drones can identify loose bolts or rust that could be hazardous. They can see the ground site of the tower to determine if maintenance or cleanup is needed.

Deliverables You Can Count On

FlyGuys guarantees quality cell tower inspection no matter the scope of your project.

Digital Twins Image
Digital Twin – We can create a 3D model of the cell tower so you can see the inspection in real-time. You can see the tower as a whole and obtain a site overview.
3d Walkthrough Image
3D walk-through of the site with a ground scanning camera. This provides you with an updated ground view of the site.

How FlyGuys Will Help You

Partnering with FlyGuys for your cell tower inspections can drastically scale your projects. Whether you are maintaining existing cell towers or planning to build towers, FlyGuys will help you every step of the way.

1. We will help keep your employees safe. Our drone pilots are professionally licensed to fly your inspection.

2. You will save time and money on cell tower inspections so that you can focus on other aspects of your job.

3. You can be a part of the inspection in real-time and have an in-depth view of the tower.

4. Our data is accurate and efficient. Once we collect the data, we will process your project, which is yours to own.

Do you have a drone project we can help with?

Please note that we are currently unable to assist in the search for missing pets. This limitation is due to the specific challenges and regulations associated with using drones for such purposes.