Raytec (now part of Optex) IR illuminators were incorporated in a surveillance system to monitor osprey nest activity in The Friends of Island Beach State Park, Iowa, U.S. The park wanted to commission a high-resolution PTZ observation system that could transmit live footage of the nest, including clear images at night, back to the visitor center. The quantity and quality of the illumination had to be sufficient to allow the system to produce high-quality footage at full frame rate.
Raytec (now part of Optex) IR illuminators were incorporated in a surveillance system to monitor osprey nest activity in The Friends of Island Beach State Park, Iowa, U.S. The park wanted to commission a high-resolution PTZ observation system that could transmit live footage of the nest, including clear images at night, back to the visitor center. The quantity and quality of the illumination had to be sufficient to allow the system to produce high-quality footage at full frame rate.
Florida engineer solution provider JES Hardware Solutions designed, put together and installed the solar wildlife camera system. Given the remote nature of the site and lack of nearby mains power, the system had to run on renewable energy. JES was faced with the challenge of a power constraint, commented James Sessions, President, since the system would be running on batteries. JES thus selected Raytec low-voltage IR illuminators, for their minimal maintenance requirements, long life and battery power. The IR units can be powered directly from 12-24 V and were installed alongside an Axis Communications outdoor PTZ dome.
The system runs solely on solar energy, with solar panels at the base of the column to charge two batteries during the day so the lighting and camera could function at night. HD video at 720p, or crisp B/W images at night, is then wirelessly transmitted back to the park's visitor center 24/7 for all to enjoy.