A new security set-up means you can now see what’s going on in your warehouse at the touch of a button from anywhere in the world.
Essex based company Airzone established its business by offering wireless broadband. Now it has it is installing IP security camera systems which can also be interfaced with their wireless technology to provide surveillance in remote areas.
The company, run by business partners Rob Cleminson, John Tumbridge and Chris Hossack, started six years ago, primarily to provide high-speed wireless internet to those unable to get broadband via their phone line.
“In the beginning we mostly dealt with remote rural communities who wanted to offer high speed internet for converted offices and use it for their own businesses,” says Mr Tumbridge. “But as wireless technology evolved we started to think of other ways to use the system.”
One such way was to establish a security system which uses wireless technology and high resolution cameras instead of the analogue, coax wired setups commonly used in existing CCTV networks.
By using digital cameras, images are networked back to a central internet server (wirelessly if required) and can be accessed remotely from any computer or handheld internet-enabled device by logging on to a secure, password-protected network.
“Most video evidence fails to qualify in court,” says Chris Hossack. “But the high resolution images at 3 Megapixels are infinitely better, and we are even able to offer bolt-ons like number plate recognition.”
The system operates by sending information over data cable to a central internet server. Where distances between cameras make data cabling infeasible, we use a our wireless radio transmitters to relay data back to the server. These transmitters can be up to 25 miles apart as long as they are in the line of sight of each other, allowing large areas to covered on one network installation.
There are five cameras available and various lens options, including 360°, fish-eye, long distance and even dual lens options. “By using a dual lens camera, clients can monitor specific areas in detail using a telephoto lens and get a wide angle panoramic view from just one camera,” adds Mr Tumbridge.
The cameras themselves are vandal-proof and have an operating temperature range of -30C to +60C. They have no moving parts so reliability is practically 100% in all conditions. They can be powered by battery, mains, solar or wind depending on the situation. Covert camera installations are also offered. Even the standard cameras have built-in loudspeakers and microphones to allow two-way communication with any phone or computer.
“Before we start, we’ll do a site survey and discuss what the client’s individual monitoring needs are, whether it’s site entrances, doors, storerooms, workshop or any other area which needs to be covered. Then we agree what cameras are required, how many and where they need to be positioned.”
Installation can take as little as half a day depending on the requirement, with covert installations done ‘out of hours’ if required. The system can work either with Airzone’s wireless broadband if required or the client’s existing broadband.
Once the cameras have been installed, Airzone work with the client to determine trigger box locations for the purpose of sending alerts via email, SMS text or telephone. This is done by setting up boxes in critical locations on the image area. If there is unexpected movement within any of these pre-set zones, it will trigger the movement sensor in the camera, prompt it to start filming and send an alert.
Once alerted, it’s up to the client to decide what he wants to do. He can log on to see live camera images from home or wherever there is internet access. He can even use an internet-enabled mobile phone to see live shots and track past movements. From here, the client can determine what response is required based on the images they are seeing. Would be intruders can even be ‘spoken to’ via the cameras built in loudspeaker. ‘’The key thing here is that the technology is utilised to enable a pro-active response which gives a better chance of preventing crime in the first place’’ adds Chris.
“Depending on what the customer wants, we can store all the images offsite at our secure underground data centre or upgrade the client’s on-site network data storage. This means that for any period of time, all images are retrievable should they need to be called upon in the future.”
A basic one-camera system with remote monitoring via internet costs from £1200. Storing images from each camera costs £5 a camera a month.
airzone networks tel: 01277 888822 www.airzone.net
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