Long-range surveillance camera for sites without internet

The problem

The sites that most need surveillance — farms, warehouses, and construction sites — are exactly the ones without internet. 4G cameras need a monthly subscription and cellular coverage, and most remote sites lack both.

How it works

1. MonitoringA motion sensor watches the site while the camera sleeps to save power.
2. CaptureWhen an event is detected, the camera wakes and takes a photo.
3. SendingThe alert is sent instantly over the long-range wireless link, and the photo is sent compressed in chunks.
4. DisplayThe receiver shows the event and the photo and keeps the log.

Project features

• It works with no internet or monthly subscription, over a direct wireless link between the user and the site.
• Fully solar-powered, with a battery that covers the night.
• It sends an instant alert and a photo instead of a continuous stream, which lets it run on a small solar panel.
• The receiver shows the latest photo and the event log with no cloud service needed.

Expected challenges

These are the main obstacles to expect during the build, laid out clearly so you know them before you start.

• ⚠ Sending images wirelessly over long distances is very slow: one photo takes seconds to minutes depending on its size — a real limitation, not a minor detail.
• The energy budget is the core of the project: the camera and transmission are the biggest consumers, so deep sleep is mandatory.
• Range drops a lot because of terrain, trees, and walls, not distance alone.
• Long-range transmission frequencies are subject to regulations that differ from country to country.

The consultation gives you a solution for each one.