How to Use Surveillance Cameras as Radars
Radar functionalities can be added to existing cameras that are already mounted at prime locations.
Receiving an alert about a security breach is the first step to identifying suspicious activity, but cameras also pick up additional data that can help take corrective action.
To protect perimeters, there are two distinct features that are commonly managed separately:
- Dedicated sensor devices such as radars and lidars can collect geo-coordinates of intruders and display their movements on a map.
- Using extreme cameras, we can use video analytics features to view video streams of an intruder on a dashboard. Through video analytics alone, the exact location of intrusions can be difficult to track. Accidental variables such as the lack of visibility, occlusions, or other obstacles in the camera field of view can limit the ability of such tools to point out precise locations.
The new Positional Camera Tracking feature within the Genetec Security Center VMS platform allows users to leverage existing cameras layered with KiwiVision video analytics to both detect and track intrusions on an interactive map. Once an alert has been set off, security personnel can pinpoint the exact coordinates of the intruder, and stream their image for a more detailed and action-oriented view of the activity.
How to Upgrade your Security System with Radar and Perimeter Functions:
1. Add GPS Source to Existing Cameras in Prime Locations
Perimeter intrusion detection sensors such as radars and lidars are typically used to alert and pinpoint the moment there is an activity that crosses a fence’s perimeter. Radar sensors providing geo-coordinates of an intrusion improve an operator's visibility and accuracy of an incident, although this type of precision can be costly.
Instead, these same functionalities can be added to your existing cameras that are already mounted at prime locations. By combining your camera feed to have a supporting GPS source, you can track targets on a map, without needing to invest in a new radar system.
2. Manage Intrusions and False Alarms Seperatly by Obtaining Situational Awareness for Different Zones
Each intrusion detection zone can be completely different, even across multiple sites. Based on your site’s operational requirements, it’s important to be able to manage intrusions versus false alarms, as soon as they happen.
At an airport, for example, there may be construction work present in a specific area of the tarmac and you may not want to set off false alarms, but still want to keep track of what’s happening. It’s possible to create a maintenance mode to calibrate specific variables that are unique to a site’s state.
The same idea for a utilities facility - if there was an emergency evacuation of a specific area, your operator would be notified if someone was present in this zone.
3. Shift Your System Capabilities to Perimeter Surveillance to Combine Insights Across all Different Detection Sensors
Typically, in any critical site, leveraging multiple different intrusion detection sensors to protect the perimeter is common. However, these different detection sensors (radar, Lidar, video analytics, PIDS, and lasers) are usually disparate systems that don’t communicate with one another. But you can see the big picture by shifting your system capabilities to perimeter surveillance instead of focusing on multiple individual intrusion detection scenarios.
When you have a unified physical security platform, you can combine insights across all of your sensors seamlessly and manage intrusion tracking on a map all while having continuous eyes on the target. Adding a layer of intelligence to surveillance cameras with video analytics can unlock new capabilities and improve security and improve operational efficiency.
Paired together with Security Center Restricted Security Area (RSA) Surveillance, you can monitor movement beyond your fence line, as well as count and categorize intrusions. These functionalities can help reduce false alarms and speed up investigations with easy video playback management, and you’ll be able to view an intruder’s path on a map, all within a single interface.
A unified physical security solution is built from the ground up to consolidate all of the data that you gather, so you can easily and efficiently manage video surveillance, access control, license plate recognition, perimeter surveillance radar systems, and more. For more info, read our blog post about the differences between unified vs integrated physical security solutions.
