RTLS is Real-Time Locating Systems which are used to automatically identify and track the location of objects or people in real-time, usually within buildings or other contained areas. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time_locating_system)
If you think of RTLS like GPS, you will get a good picture of what it is and how it works. There are many types of RTLS hardware and software solutions, each with their own benefits. We think of RTLS more like a selection of tools to help the user understand what and/or who is in a specific area and for how long. As an example, most of us have been exposed to simpler systems that utilize a badge with Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) to open office doors. This is a more simplistic example of the ability to track an individual by the doors they have accessed in a building and when they accessed them.
With RTLS you gain the ability to not just understand who or what is moving in a space, but you start to understand how the space and the materials are being utilized within it. This can be on a small or large construction site, in an industrial plant, or even in a hospital. We at Anvil Technology are focused on the utilization of this technology on the Construction Site. We believe that RTLS technologies will be the start of improving productivity and help in the integration other forms of technologies that will improve safety, and offer greater clarity into construction projects in the future.
Here is a link to more about what is RTLS from RFID Journal
https://www.rfidjournal.com/rtls