Using Optelos to reduce costs and improve the accuracy of Post-Construction Closeouts

In the telecom industry, ensuring that cell tower installations and upgrades conform precisely to project specifications is not just necessary—it’s critical. Traditional methods of post-construction closeouts are notoriously labor-intensive, time-consuming, and fraught with the potential for errors. Optelos is changing the game by leveraging drones, digital twin technology, and advanced data management to streamline this process, enhancing both accuracy and efficiency.

The Traditional Challenge

Historically, post-construction closeouts have involved exhaustive manual reviews of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of photos and extensive video footage taken at the site. These methods not only require significant time and manpower but also often result in missed discrepancies due to the unstructured nature of the data collected. Optelos’ findings indicate that a staggering 64% of audited sites do not match their design specifications, underscoring the necessity for more stringent, accurate, and comprehensive closeout processes.

Optelos’ Innovative Approach

Optelos addresses these challenges head-on by integrating drones to capture high-quality imagery used to create precise 3D Digital Twin models of the cell towers. This innovative approach not only provides a contextual and organized view of all relevant data but also significantly reduces the time required for site evaluations. The Optelos platform simplifies the verification of build correctness by allowing data and imagery to be geolocated, annotated, and analyzed efficiently. This system not only standardizes the evaluation process but also drastically reduces the labor required by auditors and analysts.

Real-World Benefits

The use of Optelos’ platform in post-construction closeouts has yielded impressive results by reducing costs and improving operational performance in the following areas:

Labor Reduction

Auditors and analysts report a 50% reduction in the time spent on closeouts by using drone for data collection and AI-enabled analytical tools and workflow automation. .

Increased Accuracy

The accuracy of closeouts has improved to over 95% by applying a hybrid approach of AI + human review, ensuring that as-built constructions meet specified standards.

Operational Enhancements

The digital twin technology allows for a direct comparison of the as-built conditions with construction drawings, enabling quick and accurate validation of antenna placements, orientations, and other critical parameters.
These benefits are not merely about efficiency, but also about enhancing the overall structural integrity, reliability and performance of telecom infrastructures.

For more information, download our use case “Using Optelos to Reduce Cost and Improve Accuracy of Post-Construction Closeouts.”