printer friendly version

Oubaai installs thermals

FLIR Systems’ thermal imaging cameras help to protect the perimeter of the Oubaai Golf Estate.

The Oubaai Golf Estate is an exclusive residential development set in the heart of the Garden Route in South Africa. The development comprises of 450 residential units consisting of 128 village apartments and 322 single residential properties. Inside Oubaai, the Hyatt Regency Group is constructing a luxurious 100-bedroom hotel that is to open in 2010.

“Although the Garden Route is a relatively safe area to live compared to other parts of South Africa, at Oubaai we do not want to take any risk,” explains Louis Olivier, estate manager at Oubaai. “We want all residents, their guests, and all people that come here to enjoy a round of golf at our magnificent course, to feel safe and secure. Therefore we have taken all the necessary security measurements and installed state-of-the-art security equipment.”

“Security at Oubaai starts with one’s arrival at the main entrance,” says Andre Steenkamp, regional manager of Holbert Boikanyo Technologies, initiator and co-designer of the Oubaai security system. “Not only are CCTV cameras installed at the entrance, but biometric readers are in place to ensure the accuracy of the access control function. No one enters Oubaai before his or her fingerprint is taken. If they are not a resident and/or a bona fide registered guest on the system, they may not enter. We will notify the people they are coming to visit and they need to confirm that they are expecting a visitor.

“But securing an estate of this magnitude means more than just installing equipment at the entrance gate. Without installing ugly fencing, we want to be sure that the entire perimeter is monitored and that we are aware of everyone that is approaching the estate’s boundaries.”

Thermal imaging cameras

FLIR Systems thermal imaging cameras were demonstrated at Oubaai by Timeless Technologies. It was decided to install a limited number of longer-range thermal imaging cameras of which the majority needed to be installed on a pan/tilt.

“Today we have completed the first phase of the installation,” Steenkamp continues. “Along a big part of the perimeter we have installed multiple FLIR Systems thermal imaging cameras.”

Three FLIR Systems PTZ-50 MS thermal imaging cameras are installed. The PTZ-50 MS contains a thermal imaging camera and a daylight camera. They provide excellent range performance since they can detect a human sized target at a distance of 800 metres.

At a longer stretch of the perimeter, FLIR PTZ-35x140 MS thermal imaging cameras were installed. The PTZ-35x140 MS is equipped with two thermal imaging cameras. It detects human-sized targets at a distance of over 2 kilometres and has the ability to zoom in on suspect activities. It also contains a daylight/lowlight camera which can be used during the day. The PTZ-35x140 MS is installed in the centre of the perimeter on a pan/tilt.

“The performance of thermal imaging in foggy conditions is extremely good,” says Steenkamp. “Although the thermal image is slightly obstructed by the fog and we are not getting the same high quality image that we see during clear weather conditions, we still get good range performance. A person walking around in the fog will be hotter than the cold surroundings. Since the thermal imaging cameras are producing an image based on the small temperature differences they are detecting, we can clearly see people walking around.”

Share this article:

Further reading: