Amazon building

Amazon Patent Shows Potential for Drones To Be Next Frontier in Home Security

The tech behemoth already plans to roll out delivery drones. It’s now considering offering a home surveillance service to customers.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Jul 08, 2019

Amazon has already earned a slew of media attention for its plans to deploy a fleet of delivery drones in the near future. Now, the company has scored its first win in exploring the potential for those drones to also serve as a home surveillance tool for customers.

A 2015 patent for surveillance drones filed by the company earned approval from federal officials last month, according to National Public Radio. While plans for this service are still in the early stages, the patent envisions a day in which customers can request that a drone perform a “surveillance action” of their home on an hourly, daily or weekly basis.

The drone would film a specific home and determine the probability of a “surveillance event,” or disturbance, at the home. Some examples offered by the company include a property breach, an open garage door, a fire or a broken window.

If the drone determines that there is a high probability of a security issue, it could send an alert to local fire and police authorities or the user themselves, depending on the severity of the event.

There are some privacy concerns associated with the patent, including the possibility that neighbors’ homes and other property could be filmed without the permission or knowledge of the property owners. The drones also have the potential to identify people with permission to be on the property as “intruders” and incorrectly alert authorities.

“We don’t yet have a sense of the violation we might feel on account of the widespread use of drones,” Jeff Ward, the director of Duke University’s Center on Law and Technology, told NPR.

Amazon officials said they would use geofencing technology to draw a specific perimeter of surveillance and blur out any data that is outside of the selected area, NPR reported.

"Some reports have suggested that this technology would spy or gather data on homes without authorization," Amazon spokesperson John Tagle said in a statement. "To be clear, that's not what the patent says. The patent clearly states that it would be an opt-in service available to customers who authorize monitoring of their home."

As The Verge points out, there is also a significant chance that Amazon will never offer the drone service, just as the company has dropped previous ideas after patenting them. But with the tech behemoth planning to launch drone delivery in a “matter of months,” customers should not be surprised when Amazon comes forward with the power to look after their home while they’re on vacation.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.