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Wireless estate surveillance

Terra Nova in Trichardt, Mpumalanga, can be described as a private town comprising six residential estates, schools, petrol stations, a hospital, and grocery stores. The concept is centred on green living and energy sufficient solutions, with the safety and security of all residents remaining a top priority.

The developers of Terra Nova – Tronicorp – approached MiRO early in 2015 to discuss a wireless security surveillance system for the private town. The 130 Ha site currently comprises the recently completed Cosmos View, Cosmos Valley and Cosmos Ridge, as well as the three under-development estates of Hibiscus Place, River View and Bushwillow Place. MiRO subsequently discussed a plan of action and outlined suggested solutions with input from preferred MiRO installer, IP Solutions. Tronicorp compiled a security budget and installation commenced in August 2015, with handover achieved in November 2015.

Tronicorp’s Tony Petricevic says that the overarching decision with the Terra Nova development was to move away from having a security guard at each entrance and guards patrolling the property, to a more technology-based solution. “We decided to implement a wireless IP surveillance system, linked to an armed reaction team, that can expand with the growth of the town and which eliminates the human guarding element. The initial investment in the cameras and network will be quickly recouped through our savings on manpower.”

Security and aesthetics

Noah Mashaba, MD of IP Solutions, explains that due consideration was given to the high levels of security required by the Terra Nova Home Owners Association, combined with the need for an unobtrusive and non-invasive aesthetic element. The resultant package – 23 Uniview speed dome cameras and 10 Uniview bullet cameras, combined with the newly released Ubiquiti airFiber 5X wireless backhaul solution – will provide critical coverage of risk areas.

The speed dome cameras are installed on the perimeter of each new estate and can cover distances of up to 500 m, while the bullet cameras are deployed at the entrance gates to each complex.

Mashaba says that the Uniview cameras, a recent addition to the MiRO product line-up, were selected for a number of reasons. In addition to being a cost-effective solution, Uniview cameras deliver clear live video streaming under challenging conditions due to the many built-in premium features. Uniview offers a speed dome camera with laser infrared ability, providing clear images in pitch-dark condition at distances of almost 500 m.

Uniview deploys patented technology designed to maintain stable video quality even if the full capacity of bandwidth isn’t available over the Internet or a wireless link during harsh weather conditions.

Complete solution

Another important consideration in the selection of Uniview, is the built-in surge-protection in all Uniview cameras and NVRs, a big advantage in an area like the Mpumalanga Highveld with its high incidence of electrical storms.

Mashaba adds that Uniview is a complete video surveillance solution allowing all Uniview cameras and NVRs to be integrated into one unified system, with no additional cost when additional channels are required. Uniview Cloud service provides free, instant remote live viewing and alarm notifications to any smart device or PC-based system, providing essential situational awareness to security personnel on the move.

As the cameras are installed around the perimeter of the estates, with limited access to infrastructure, a wireless IP network had to be designed to speed up the installation time and minimise cost and disruption to infrastructure. Ubiquiti airFiber 5X products were selected to deliver a high-speed IP network in the licence-exempt 5 GHz spectrum.

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