Ninox Scout - Smart Environmental Monitoring
Data Driven Excellence. Simplifying environmental monitoring through innovative technology
Challenge
The two key design challenges were:
Economics: Mass monitoring is critical to understanding the environment and catchments around us and for creating sustainable practices. Traditional approaches are too expensive and messy to deploy on mass. Fundamentally, the design solution needed be cost effective.
Confidence: Monitoring devices are frequently deployed into remote sites without mobile coverage. When standing onsite, installers and operators need absolute confidence that the device is operating and communicating as intended.
Furthermore, when the installer walks away, they need to know that the product will continue to operate autonomously in the harsh environment for 10+ years.
The Ninox Scout is a rugged and affordable monitoring device, used to reliably capture data about our most precious natural resources. The Scout's unique features deliver reliable, long-term data from extreme environments that enable decision makers, scientists, landholders and regulators to make timely, informed decisions about our waterways and environment.
Installation
The completed installation is highly durable, neat, tamper resistant and discrete with cable connections and mounting
points hidden. Mounting brackets, solar panels, and accessories, common in the industry, are avoided by holistically
considering the functional requirements and environments. Antennas are internal, with an option for external if required,
speeding up installation and avoiding the risk of damage.
Connectivity
The unique inclusion of low-cost LEO Satellite communications redundancy, as well as carrier agnostic LTE/4G coverage
provides user confidence by ensuring critical data remains available in the event of a primary connection failure, such as
during a natural disaster.
Feathered Sky
FeatheredSky™ by Ninox is a powerful and user-friendly device management and data visualization tool. With expertly curated application templates, even novices can effortlessly access and manage their data from anywhere. For experienced users and larger organisations, FeatheredSky™ provides a fully customisable cloud solution, empowering teams, customers, and decision-makers with real-time access to their network of data collection sites
Design Solution
The Scout’s rugged, neat and compact form masks innovative approaches that met the challenges faced.
To meet the economic challenge the design focused on rapid and simplified field deployment while minimising site visit
maintenance — areas where labour significantly drives total costs. Additionally, clever design features permit efficient
manufacturing, ensuring low procurement costs.
The unique integrated display allows the installer and user to have total confidence that the device is configurated correctly
and successfully sending data up to the cloud.
Design Impact
The Ninox Scout can tell us when there are floodwaters coming downstream. It can tell us about the health of our
environments and catchments. It can tell us where the water is going—and who is using it.
Product Features
- Device and data management via Ninox's 'Feathered Sky' cloud platform, or via customer third party platform.
- Connection to sensors or meters using ModBus, SDI-12, 4-20mA or Pulse Inputs, with support for multiple inputs on one device.
- An integrated display to provide users and installers with absolute confidence in device operational status.
- A rugged IP68 construction, made from minimal components and easily disassembled.
- Aesthetically considered anti-tamper features including cable connection protection, concealed mounting, digital alarming, security tag and padlock loop.
- Adaptable mounting bracket suited to multiple common scenarios avoiding the need for accessory parts.
- Automatic selection of highest signal strength LTE/4G carrier and optional low-cost satellite redundancy to ensure reliable connectivity.
- Using a regular browser, Scout is fully configurable both over-the-air and onsite, avoiding back-to-base servicing, specialist hardware or apps.
- End user and tool-less replaceable battery, with 5 mins of backup power to continue monitoring during changeover.
- Internal LTE and Satellite Antennas to risk of damage from the environment or animals, with optional external connection when required.
- Optional external power input for exotic high draw scenarios.
- Integrated GPS with options for barometric pressure monitoring and accelerometer driven disturbance detection.