Autonomous surveilance system for ranch

[TheDude]

I own a 500 acre ranch in Utah. I would like to build a 'guard drone' system that monitors the perimeter. I envision using sensors that when activated causes the drone to do a fly over showing video. I also envision a system that sends a drone around the perimeter at preprogrammed intervals moving from waypoint to waypoint. I would also like the option to drop a road flare from the drone incorporating an ignition means that ignites when hitting the ground that I have invented. I'm also curious about how accurate a multirotor can land at a waypoint?

Does anyone out there have the schema for accomplishing the aforementioned intentions?

 

[Benjamin Kenobi]

Having your system go to waypoints and show a video is easy. Having it do anything else automatically is hard. You could easily have a flying camera that automatically flies around looking at things, that's just a waypoint system with a video transmitter attached. Having software to analyse images would be very expensive I imagine. You can manually release your flares with a switch but it would require you to look at the video and decide you want to do that.

Just for starters...

 

[RotoTwit]

You and many others would love this kind of setup. I assume you know this would be very expensive as it does not exist yet, not even for border patrol I believe. I suspect it is completely doable but you would have to hire experts to build/configure this. Simply putting smart sensors that trigger at appropriate places is non trivial. A fun project for a couple good engineers w/time!! You would have to get a Canadian company to do this - FAA prevents US companys from doing this sort of thing (takes a year+ to get FAA waivers!!) - except for the military/police/BP. (or a hobbyist)

You should commercialize this system once you get it working! If the 'slow as a dead dog' FAA ever get around to rule/law making!! US companies are getting killed by FAA dragging their feet on this - Canada, UK, EU nations are more free to do commercial work in this arena - Sad, FAA twits!

Good Luck!

 

[TheDude]

Thanks for taking the time to respond

 

[KJ4CCH]

you could ardupilot.... it flies via waypoints ect... all you need is to figure out them flares. I could imagine using a circuit to use model rocket lighters would not be too hard. shoot if you know C code, you might be able to program a payload with ardunio.

flares may be a little dangerous, (to your craft) accidental bump or crash might set it off burning your poor machine.

 

[TheDude]

Excellent! I'm new to all this. By "ardupilot" do you meant to preset gps waypoints and have the craft just follow them? The flares I expect to weight the ignition end of the flare and then incorporate 50 caliber primers to powder to ignition.