The patented Sherpa Surveillance System from Norton Integrated Solutions, which has been acquired by Excelerate Technology, is a new addition to the range of command information system support technologies Excelerate can now supply to emergency services and military, paramilitary and security agencies. The system enables wireless video cameras and other devices to be positioned quickly high up on different types and sizes of lampposts and poles for improved live viewing and communications for a wide variety of different types of incidents. The Sherpa system is made up of: 1. The Delivery Unit, which is a self-powered system with a hand held controller that climbs to the required height and securely and automatically clamps the Operating Platform Unit to a pole. 2. The Operating Platform Unit, which can carry robust wireless PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) video cameras linked to command vehicles, or other command equipment such as communications aerials for TETRA or GSM, WiFi access points and 3G routers. One of the system’s strengths is this fl exibility to carry a growing array of devices. Once the Operating Platform Unit has clamped itself to the pole (the entire process takes about 5 minutes), the Delivery Unit can then be quickly brought back down and used to position additional platforms on different poles, thereby enabling commanders to establish a camera or other communications infrastructure network in a very short period of time. Integrated with COFDM transmission technology or other wireless systems, remote viewing of video from Sherpa camera platforms can be done via the third element, the Control and Viewing Unit, which can be operated from mobile command vehicles, laptops, peli-cases and control rooms. The Delivery Unit is capable of climbing a wide range of pole types, including poles of varying thickness. Given all these features, the result is the world’s fi rst rapidly deployable, high-level wireless camera network and communications system.

Wide Variety of Applications

By delivering video camera footage from cameras placed at height for improved coverage and access (with coverage achieved in a very short period of time) commanders are able to see substantial improvements in the quality and timeliness of the information on which they base their decisions, especially in areas where no existing video or CCTV coverage is available. The system has a wide variety of military, para-military, counter terror and joint civil/military emergency management applications. Already in use throughout the UK, North America, Canada, Australia and South Africa, the Sherpa system also has the potential to be used at public order events, for the monitoring of antisocial behaviour, and for enhancing coverage within prisons.