5.3 - Blog: UAS Use in Home Monitoring

The future applications of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is just beginning to be glimpsed. They will complement existing technology and replace some current applications altogether. For example, home monitoring systems have been around for many years. They can include fixed video monitoring, motion sensors, audio alerts and remote monitoring. It is easy to see how sUAS will likely be included as a vital sensor, complimenting current systems and providing a mobile observation point, especially for hard to see property areas. A company called Sunflower Labs (Sunflower Labs, 2016) may be marketing precisely this application.

A popular current example of a fixed home monitoring system is the Ring Doorbell it alerts homeowners with audio and video feeds and sells for about 200$ (Ring, 2016). It is apparently effective, according to the thousands of reviews on Amazon.com (Amazon.com, 2016), but the video monitor is fixed to the doorbell and records from a single point of view. It is a clever idea and will augment other fixed cameras located around the home. Homeowners who have larger properties, or areas that are hidden from fixed video monitoring locations may want the ability to have a mobile video monitoring system. This is where a sUAS mounted camera would augment an existing system. Sunflower Labs has proposed adding this mobility using a sUAS mounted video camera to fixed based motion detectors. According to their website, the Sunflower Home Awareness System (Sunflower Labs, 2016) will use fixed motion sensors to identify unusual activity on the property, then automatically launch the sUAS mounted camera and send a picture of the area of interest directly to a smart phone.

Sunflower Labs is taking reservations for the system now and anticipates shipping to homeowners in 2017 (Sunflower Labs, 2016). It is a great idea and adds to existing home monitoring technology. I am confident UAVs will continue to proliferate and join other applications in the homeowner security business.

Amazon.com. (2016). Ring WI-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell - - Amazon.com. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Ring-Wi-Fi-Enabled-Video-Doorbell/dp/B00N2ZDXW2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479150802&sr=8-2&keywords=ring+doorbellRing. (2016). Ring video doorbell for your smartphone |

Ring. Retrieved from https://ring.com/

Sunflower Labs. (2016, November 3). Sunflower labs modernizes home security with introduction of home awareness system. Retrieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sunflower-labs-modernizes-home-security-with-introduction-of-home-awareness-system-300356706.html