Developing Video Capability
In today’s interconnected world, the ability to monitor and manage assets remotely has become not just a convenience but a necessity. From sprawling agricultural fields and remote unmanned industrial sites, to vast stretches of pipeline and border control areas, the challenges of ensuring security, efficiency, and productivity in remote, often environmentally challenging locations, are ever-present.
Integrating advanced video surveillance technologies with satellite connectivity is revolutionizing how industries approach these challenges. Ground Control’s recent partnership with Videosoft exemplifies this transformation, bringing real-time, low-bandwidth video streaming over satellite to the forefront of remote off-grid operations.
This article delves into the transformative impact of satellite-enabled video surveillance across three critical applications: preventing remote solar panel theft and protecting parked vehicles like quadbikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and heavy vehicles; leveraging aerial video footage over satellite for agricultural and forestry monitoring; and enhancing remote border control operations.
1. Safeguarding Remote Assets
Solar panels are increasingly being deployed in remote, often unmonitored locations as renewable energy installations proliferate. PV installations for solar farms and solar as a power source in remote industries present an increasing global opportunity for crime.
The attractiveness of solar panels to thieves is primarily because of their high value and the perceived ease of theft, especially from remote, poorly secured installations. Europe reports over 5,000 major solar thefts annually, with southern Italy experiencing rates ten times the European average. The problem is global; in Nigeria and South Africa, solar panel theft is stifling renewable energy growth.
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Similarly, in industries like mining, agriculture, and construction, frequently stationed valuable vehicles and equipment, such as ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) or heavy vehicles, in isolated areas are at risk. These assets are prime targets for theft and vandalism due to their high value and minimal on-site security. The UK agricultural sector alone saw an estimated £49.5 million in stolen equipment in 2023.
There are known illicit global markets for farming and technology equipment, where criminals can sell their stolen wares for much higher prices. This specific type of theft has been triggered by soaring values, particularly in relation to metals and machinery and the low supply of farm machinery worldwide.
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The Problem With Off-Grid Locations
While traditional camera surveillance methods provide a deterrent to criminal activity, they often rely on cellular networks which may not be available in remote locations. The network gap leaves off-grid assets vulnerable, with limited options to monitor and protect investments effectively and cost efficiently.
The Solution: Video Compression Over Satellite
Integrating Videosoft’s high-compression, low-latency, off-grid video streaming technology into Ground Control’s RockREMOTE Rugged device offers a robust solution. This facilitates real-time video surveillance over the Iridium satellite network, ensuring continuous monitoring even when there is zero cellular network availability.
Deploying a remote video monitoring strategy means action can be taken before a crime occurs. Video compression ensures quality image capture, and with RockREMOTE’s powerful edge computing capabilities, multiple sensor connection options, and real-time connectivity, it can detect certain events, like a person loitering after hours or jumping a fence. Follow-on actions can be automated or taken remotely, server-side, to deter a potential criminal’s next steps. By activating specific deterrents, like recorded announcements, alarms, and flashing lights, asset protection management can respond from anywhere in real-time to prevent a potential crime.
The cost-effectiveness of this solution lies in its data efficiency. By compressing video at the edge, data transmission costs are minimized without compromising the quality of the recording, making high-quality real-time surveillance financially viable over the Iridium satellite link.
2. Revolutionizing Forestry Monitoring
Agriculture, environmental and forestry monitoring can often span vast, remote areas, making it challenging to monitor crop health, forest conditions, or illegal logging. Drones have emerged as a powerful tool for aerial surveillance, but their reliance on local storage or cellular networks for data transmission limits their efficacy in remote regions.
Drones are also restricted in the altitude at which they can fly, limiting their coverage for each flight. They are ideal for short-range, lower-altitude video capture, but they have range and battery life constraints, and many do not offer the zoom options available from an aircraft. Aircraft can transmit video over much longer distances and cover vast areas unaffected by obstacles in the terrain.
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However, sending video in real-time over satellite has been expensive, often reserved for emergency services and search and rescue operations. Yet, the need for accurate imagery, delivered cost effectively, in real-time, is increasingly critical in remote land surveillance and monitoring.
The Problem of Deforestation
In North America, illegal logging costs over $1 billion annually, with the U.S. Forest Service estimating $100 million in losses from public lands alone. Romania faces similar challenges, losing valuable primeval forests to illegal logging. New technology to combat these types of losses can’t come quick enough. A new report says deforestation globally increased by 4% in 2022 compared with 2021, with the loss of over 6.6 million hectares of forest. Although there was a decrease of 18% in tropical Asian countries, the world is now 21% off track to eliminate deforestation by 2030.
The Solution: Aerial Video Recording Operations
The encouraging part of Ground Control’s collaboration with Videosoft is that aircraft equipped with cameras to stream live footage can drive real-time insight while keeping aerial transmission costs down. RockREMOTE Rugged, combined with Videosoft’s compression technology, ensures efficient transmission of high-definition video over the Iridium Certus IP connection. Operators can remotely adjust camera focus, zoom, and capture high-resolution video for detailed analysis in real time, whether from the plane or the ground. Access to live feeds enables instant assessment, issue identification, and monitoring, facilitating real-time responses.
The RockREMOTE’s LTE failover feature switches between cellular and satellite networks as needed, maintaining the efficient video transfer and minimizing data costs. With aerial video over satellite, monitoring for illegal logging or assessing the health of farmland or forest canopy becomes significantly more manageable.
3. Enhanced Border Security
Border regions, especially those spanning vast and inhospitable terrains, pose significant challenges for security agencies. Monitoring these areas to prevent illegal crossings, trafficking, or other illicit activities is difficult, mainly due to the hostile terrain, remoteness, and sheer expanse. Traditional surveillance infrastructure is often impractical due to the need for cellular connectivity or the high costs of establishing and maintaining such systems.
Many factors influence the off-grid solution: the degree of threat posed by unsanctioned activity, the conditions for monitoring equipment and transportation, the ruggedness of the terrain, local data and available power supply.
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The Solution: Satellite-Enabled Surveillance
From RF spectrum monitoring, to Thermal imaging, RockREMOTE Rugged’s broad range of connection interfaces and containerized edge computing capability enable it to operate with other key security sensors, cameras and applications. The system supports simultaneous live streaming from multiple cameras, providing comprehensive border coverage.
Further, RockREMOTE Rugged’s antenna is omni-directional, with no pointing required; ideal for fixed deployment in hilly or woody locations, or for on-the-move applications. It will also connect from a mobile surveillance unit.
Beyond Surveillance: The Broader Implications
The applications discussed represent a fraction of the potential unlocked by integrating advanced video compression technology with satellite connectivity. From conservation efforts and monitoring endangered species, to reducing remote off-grid crime, the possibilities are vast. Whether it’s safeguarding remote solar installations, leveraging aerial surveillance to protect forests, or enhancing the security of national borders, the ability to transmit real-time, high-quality video over satellite networks is a game-changer. As industries continue to operate in increasingly remote and challenging environments, such innovations are not just advantageous—they are essential.
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With over 20 years of satellite experience, the Ground Control team is well placed to help you keep an eye on the things that matter most.
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