In Site Development for wireless telecom, we’ve all run across sites where the jurisdiction is requiring some sort of concealment solution, but they are concerned about actually getting what they are expecting.

Many companies now use Photo-simulations to help address this concern. Unfortunately, most photo-simulations are usually a disappointment to planners and landlords, especially in regard to trees, since they are rarely a true representation of the final product. Some companies even suggest staying away from Photosims altogether.

Chameleon Engineering would suggest a better solution – a paradigm shift.

Most Photo Sims are misleading, because the tree used in the Sim is rarely representative of the one actually provided. Though this may not be deliberate, it is still a reality.

The best answer to this is quite simple: show a 3D representation of the EXACT tree being proposed.

We use CAD-CAM designs and manufacture all of our products – including foliage. Since all of our products and components are digitized, we can easily computer model any custom product from those components, including site specific trees.

Using custom software developed in-house (and used by movie production studios) it is possible to provide an accurate '3D Visualization' of proposed concealment structures, so that an appropriate solution can be selected which is aesthetically acceptable for the locale. These 3D models can accurately represent most structures to within inches, including the placement and size of foliage on tree branches – so both the carrier and the jurisdiction know that “what you see is truly what you get.” Using such a service ends up being a win-win for everyone, with the community being assured that the tower is acceptable, and the tower company able to minimize cost and maximize goodwill.

This service can be practical for almost all types of towers, from trees to windmills to water tanks, or any other type of tower structure you can imagine; it has been used successfully on all sorts of projects, including a western style ‘Oil Derrick’, and a custom ‘Eastern Oak’ tree.

As seen on this page, it can also be used to create products that haven’t been made before, such as this custom Eucalyptus tree, engineered with ‘curved’ trunks. This package not only included photos, but also a full 360 degree view via a photo-realistic 3D animation.

So the next time a jurisdiction asks for a photo-simulation – give them something that you canguarantee: a 3D Visualization package from Chameleon Engineering.