Wireless IP Video Surveillance Deployed for 2008 Daytona 500

Mobile Alternative Energy Platforms Support Video Surveillance Equipment for 50th Running of NASCAR’s Daytona 500 Race

Daytona Beach, FL, February 17th, 2008 – Orion Systems Group and its partners successfully deployed wireless IP video cameras along the track and on the infield to provide law enforcement with video surveillance during the 50th running of the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. Using mobile towers equipped with solar and wind generated power, the deployment team wirelessly networked multiple pan/tilt/zoom cameras and securely transmitted the video and camera control to the law enforcement command center located at nearby Daytona Beach International Airport.

High profile events like the Daytona 500 present unique security challenges. Spread out over 480 acres, the track hosts an estimated 250,000 fans on race day. The sheer size of the venue makes permanent installation of traditional security cameras and cabling prohibitively expensive. In fact, until now, the only way to gather and assess security information during this type of event was to have law enforcement personnel placed onsite to gather and report information back to the command center.

Thanks to leading edge technologies and design, the need to rely on personnel intensive operations to gather information may be at an end. Law enforcement now has the option of deploying a network of video towers that requires no connection to external power or network infrastructure. Camera control and video feeds can be sent to multiple temporary command centers located onsite or even back to a regional command center or office via satellite uplink.

The towers are designed as mobile, self-contained units able to be collapsed by one person and towed behind any vehicle with a standard tow hitch. When a tower is brought to its deployment location, it can be put in place and made operational in about 15 minutes. This creates unprecedented flexibility since towers can be easily relocated in response to changing ground conditions. In addition to video, towers can also support a wide array of sensors and other equipment.

“The tower is equipment agnostic”, explains David Taylor, CEO of Orion Systems Group. “We are able to select a camera type and feature set based on the operational objectives. Furthermore, since we design a complete system, we can select software and archiving methods tailored to the requirements of the end user or we can integrate the cameras into their existing system.”

In a world of heightened security, this type of technology provides a wealth of benefits to safety personnel. Live video from multiple locations reduces the need for field personnel, analytic analysis of video streams means fewer video operators are required and the cost/benefit ratio of a temporary deployment versus a permanent camera installation means more cameras can be put into service.

Orion Systems Group is a national security integrator specializing in consultative design and deployment of IP video, access control and integrated security systems. The Orion Systems Group website is www.orionsystemsgroup.com
If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with David Taylor, please call Jerome Liwanag at 703-691-1530 or e-mail Jerome at jliwanag@orionsystemsgroup.com