This white paper discusses radar technology in security applications, and compares it with other available technologies. It also provides specific information about AXIS D2050-VE Network Radar Detector, its usage and its possibilities What is radar? Radar is a well-established technology for detecting objects. It was developed for military use in the 1940s, but is now widely used in civilian applications, for instance weather forecasts, road traffic monitoring, and collision prevention in aviation and shipping. Using radar technology for detection can reduce the number of false alarms and increase detection efficiency in conditions with poor visibility. AXIS D2050-VE Network Radar Detector is Axis’ first available radar-based motion detector. Owing to its advanced tracking algorithm, it is not only an affordable complement to security cameras, but it can also add valuable features to a surveillance system. A radar device transmits signals consisting of radio waves, or electromagnetic waves in the radio frequency spectrum. When a radar signal hits an object, the signal is reflected or scattered in many directions. A small portion of the signal may be reflected back to the radar device, where it will be detected by a receiver. The detected signal provides information that can be used to determine the location, size and velocity of the object that was hit. Why use radar in surveillance? Due to its superior detection abilities in darkness or fog, a motion detector based on radar can be a cost-efficient complement to other types of surveillance. Reliable in challenging conditions By nature, radar surveillance is not dependent on visibility. Darkness, fog, or even moderate rainfall does not impair the detection abilities. There are other surveillance technologies that may also work in such conditions, for example thermal cameras equipped with video analytics, or PIRbased (passive infrared) motion detectors. However, surveillance based on radar can be a cost-efficient alternative to both solutions. Radar is easier to use, and more affordable than a thermal camera. Radar can also provide more information, at a longer range, than a PIR motion detector. Decreased false alarms Reducing the number of false alarms, while maintaining the detection efficiency of real incidents, is essential in surveillance. For example, alarms are often used to trigger a video recording. In case a forensic search would be needed in alarm-triggered recordings, it could be very time consuming to go through the recorded material if there were many false alarms. Motion detection systems often use video analytics applications that are triggered by a certain amount of pixel changes in the surveillance scene. Unnecessary or ‘false,’ alarms can typically be caused by effects such as moving shadows or light beams, small animals in the scene, rain drops or insects on the camera lens, movements caused by the wind, or bad weather. A detection system based on radar will only detect physical movement in a scene, ignoring purely visual effects such as shadows or light beams. Radar signals should also be generally less affected by rain or snow. In both radar detection and video analytics, it is possible to design the system so that small or swaying objects can be filtered out, as well as certain zones of irrelevant movements caused by, for example, wind in a tree. Complement to cameras A motion detector based on radar, exclusively, will not provide any visual confirmation. To efficiently identify the cause of an alarm, or to enable identification of individuals, the scene should also be monitored by a video camera. To add further value, rules could be established that state that only when both the video camera and the radar detector detect motion in an area will a motion detection alarm be transmitted to the operator or central monitoring station, along with detailed information about the object in motion. Such a collaborative validation can reduce false alarms even further. Axis network radar detector AXIS D2050-VE network radar detector is Axis’ first available radar-based motion detector. It can serve as an affordable complement to security cameras in medium-risk installations, improving detection in challenging conditions and minimizing false alarms. Owing to its advanced tracking algorithm and the positioning information it provides, the detector can also add new features and value to a surveillance system. Detection range and installation One radar detector unit provides accurate detection within a range up to 50m (164ft), within an angle of approximately 120 degrees. For coverage of a larger area, it is possible to use multiple detectors. Typical mounting height should be 3-4m (9-13ft). AXIS D2050-VE can be used as a stand-alone product, but may serve its purpose best as a complement to a camera that also provides a visual view of the scene. In order to facilitate a visual interpretation of the scene, the radar image as it is seen in the user interface can be easily integrated and calibrated with an uploaded reference map. The detector can be treated like a camera in the security system. It is compatible with major video management systems (VMS) and common video hosting systems. The detector comes with Axis open VAPIX interface enabling integration on different platforms. Typical installation scenes include fenced-off areas such as industrial properties or roofs, or parking lots where no activity is expected after hours. However, the detector’s advanced filtering and tracking function makes it valuable in most environments. Figure 2 shows a parking lot as monitored by the network radar detector and shown in the user interface. The radar image has been combined with a reference map of the scene. Include/ exclude zones The network radar detector comes with an intuitive user interface where the user should draw one or more ‘include zones,’ and possibly ‘exclude zones,’ within the detection range. Detection and tracking of objects takes place continuously within the whole detection range. However, owing to its filtering functionality, the detector will trigger actions only on objects detected within an include zone. The filter can also be set to ignore certain object types, and only trigger on, for example, large objects, only vehicles, or objects that have been tracked for a…