Surveillance Solutions Go Solar

SentryPOSTWhile many surveillance companies were advertising the tiny size of their products at ISC West this year – Axis Communications' palm-size “mini-camera” comes to mind here – several companies were attracting attention because their products towered over nearby booths.

These towers also sported wind turbines or solar panels, which their owners said amounted to more than a trendy attempt to be “green.”

The flexibility of self-powered solutions, said Tom Weis of SentryView Systems, is what makes them attractive. Solar and wind power, and generators in some installations that require high capabilities, can allow surveillance units to be placed in areas where electrical power is not typically available – deserts, the proverbial water pump 200 miles from any sort of town, or anywhere where digging trenches for electrical power would be prohibitively expensive.

“When digging trenches, not only is there the cost of getting a permit, but often you have to work to get an environmental variance, too,” Weis said. “If there’s any kind of wetlands, you’re not going to get a permit to dig any kind of trench. This device solves the problems involved with running electrical.”

The company’s SentryPOST is designed to be a self-powered installation for surveillance of areas where it’s hard to get grid power, such as remote infrastructure installations.

Weis said that the company’s engineers usually build these units to suit the characteristics of each installation, based both on customers’ wants and the climate of the area. Customers can put pretty much anything on the towers, including varying powers of IP or analog surveillance cameras, encoders, heaters and blowers, DVRs or NVRs, wireless networks and proximity sensors.

“It can be a blank canvas that you can paint any type of security device on,” Weis said

Based on the power requirements of these systems and the weather conditions at the installation site, they vary the number of solar panels and turbine units, as well as the amount of battery storage installed at each location. The typical installation includes a single solar panel and wind turbine configuration, and a pair of AGM battery packs. More battery packs shore up the reliability of the system, though Weis said that a properly engineered standalone system is as reliable as grid power, which can sometimes go offline due to stormy weather or construction errors.

Though Weis said the interest in the technology at ISC West was “tremendous,” he and his team are realistic about the technology’s capabilities.

“We don’t think that people are going to take down all the systems that they have, or tear the wires out of the ground just to put our systems in,” he said. “Where our sweet spot is is in augmenting surveillance, in getting to remote areas.”

About the Author

Laura Williams is content development editor for Security Products magazine.

Featured

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • 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.