Specialty Cameras for Demanding Environments

From heavy fog to explosive zones, these cameras are built for what standard systems can't handle.

How can a security camera see in the dark, through smoke, or in total fog?

Thermal imaging cameras detect heat instead of visible light. That means they can “see” in complete darkness, through smoke, fog, or foliage. Whether you're monitoring a remote substation at night or need visibility during a fire event, thermal cameras provide reliable detection when optical cameras fail.

Proper configuration is key to maximizing thermal detection zones and minimizing false positives. Our team can help you fine-tune these systems for your exact environment.

[Insert Image Block — Image: AXIS Q1961-XTE | Alt text: Radiometric thermal camera in stainless housing, designed for industrial and explosive environments.]
[Insert Image Block — Image: AXIS Q8752-E Mk II or XPQ1785 | Alt text: Bi-spectral PTZ camera with rugged housing and 30x optical zoom for long-range surveillance in harsh conditions.]

What kind of camera can detect intruders and identify them from a distance?

Bi-spectral PTZ cameras combine thermal detection with optical zoom. PTZ stands for Pan-Tilt-Zoom — meaning the camera can rotate, tilt, and zoom remotely. This gives you a two-step advantage:

  1. Wide-Area Awareness: The camera scans a broad field of view to detect motion, heat, or anomalies.

  2. Detail on Demand: Once something is detected, the operator (or smart analytics) can zoom in to capture identifying details — like a face, badge, or license plate — without losing context.

This makes PTZ cameras ideal for drone detection, perimeter breaches, or tracking vehicles across large sites.

What kind of camera is safe to use in explosive environments?

Explosion-protected cameras are certified for use in hazardous zones (ATEX, IECEx, NEC). Their housings are engineered to contain internal sparks, preventing ignition in volatile atmospheres. Perfect for oil & gas, chemical processing, and grain storage.

Installing uncertified cameras in these zones isn’t just non-compliant — it’s a safety risk. We help ensure your deployment meets both safety and insurance requirements.

[Insert Image Block — Image: AXIS XPQ1785 | Alt text: Explosion-protected PTZ security camera rated for use in hazardous industrial zones.]

What camera can survive salt spray, chemicals, or aggressive cleaning?

Stainless steel cameras are built for extreme durability and corrosion resistance. They’re ideal for marine environments, food production, and clean rooms — anywhere hygiene or chemical exposure is a concern.

What is anti-ligature?
Anti-ligature designs prevent objects like cords, belts, or clothing from being secured to a fixture — reducing risk of self-harm in mental health, detention, or safety-critical environments.

[Insert Image Block — Image: AXIS Q9216-SLV | Alt text: Stainless steel corner-mounted camera with anti-ligature design for hygiene-sensitive or high-risk environments.]

Cybersecurity & Compliance — Why It Matters

Axis cameras running AXIS OS 11+ are certified to ETSI EN 303 645, a leading global standard for IoT cybersecurity. But what does that mean in practice?

  • Secure Boot & Signed Firmware: Prevents tampering and ensures only trusted software runs on the device.

  • Axis Edge Vault: Hardware-based key storage that protects cryptographic secrets — critical for secure identity and encrypted communication.

  • IEEE 802.1X & HTTPS by default: Ensures secure onboarding and encrypted data transmission.

Why this matters:

  • U.S. Government & Defense: Axis offers FIPS 140-3 Level 3 compliant devices.

  • Sensitive IP & Trade Secrets: Critical for industries like aerospace, pharma, advanced manufacturing.

  • Legal & Regulatory Compliance: Supports frameworks like NIST CSF, ISO 27001, NDAA Section 889.

We help clients document and maintain cybersecurity compliance — including firmware updates, audit logs, and secure provisioning.

What Is the Axis Trust Center — and Why Should You Care?

The Axis Trust Center is your one-stop for:

  • Firmware vulnerability disclosures

  • Compliance certifications and export classifications

  • Product documentation, test reports, and secure firmware updates

As your integration partner, we actively monitor the Trust Center to:

  • Deliver timely firmware and security patching

  • Provide audit-ready documentation for regulatory or insurance review

  • Protect your system integrity post-installation — not just at purchase

Ongoing trust and compliance aren’t DIY. That’s what we handle for you.

Featured Specialty Camera Models & Specs

Model Type Resolution Certifications Housing Key Features
Q1961-XTE Thermal 384×288 ATEX Explosion-proof Thermal imaging, IP68, remote monitoring
VX-WeatherGuard Weatherproof 1920×1080 NEMA 4X, IP67 Weatherproof dome Auto-defog, IR cut filter, wiper
HX-Coastal Marine 1280×720 Salt fog certified, IP69K Corrosion-resistant bullet Marine-grade, wide-temp range, heater
[Insert Composite Banner — Image: montage of industrial and outdoor settings (e.g., refinery, port, foggy railyard). Alt text: Industrial security camera applications in hazardous or low-visibility settings.]

Application Scenarios

  • Oil & Gas Refineries: Explosion-protected thermal cameras monitor flare stacks, tank farms, and pipelines — even in total darkness or gas-rich environments.

  • Chemical Plants: Stainless steel housings withstand corrosive vapors and aggressive washdowns, while thermal imaging detects overheating equipment.

  • Utilities & Substations: Bi-spectral PTZs provide long-range detection and visual confirmation across large perimeters, even in fog or low light.

  • Transportation Hubs: Maintain visibility in fog, rain, snow, or low light — ideal for tunnels, ports, airports, and railyards where weather and visibility constantly shift.

  • Food Processing: Stainless steel dome cameras meet hygiene standards and resist high-pressure cleaning in cold, wet environments.

  • Correctional & Behavioral Facilities: Anti-ligature cameras reduce tampering and provide full-room coverage in high-risk or regulated spaces.

Smart Trigger Integration

Axis cameras support edge-based analytics that can trigger actions like:

  • Activating strobe lights or sirens via MQTT and Node-RED

  • Sending alerts to VMS platforms or SCADA systems

  • Dispatching drones or robotic patrols on intrusion detection

  • Playing pre-recorded audio alerts via Axis speakers

Specialty camera triggers include:

  • Explosion-protected cameras detecting heat spikes = early fire alerts

  • Thermal cameras identifying smoke plumes over critical infrastructure

  • Bi-spectral PTZs auto-tracking intruders after initial thermal detection

We configure these smart triggers to match your protocols and escalation chains.

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Protect Your Facilities with Our Modular Design & Smart Technology Solutions

  • Manage security, access control and automation at your sites through one hub. The platform provides the convenience of a single integrated view into all your security and automation operations enabling real-time visibility and control over every aspect of your sites. Identify key events from one location or hundreds of locations, with a simple, intuitive user interface.

  • Self-monitoring, rules based real-time alerts can be set up for you and your team members to share the responsibility of watching a site. Have contextual alerts based on cutting edge AI technology. Each individual can choose how they are alerted and when.

    Monitor equipment 24/7/365

    Prevent catastrophic loss

    Get alerts immediately when thresholds are breached

    Receive notifications when power fails or internet goes down

    A single dashboard for all your locations and sites

  • Industrial grade edge server with up to 8TB of SSD storage

  • • NxWitness VMS (aka DW Spectrum)

    • Open architecture/cross platform

    • Enterprise features are standard

    • Complete end-to-end IP solution

    • Lifetime upgrades/no annual agreements

    • EASY TO USE yet very powerful, works on any internet enabled device Software updates no charge for life

    • A.I. video analytics

  • Fixed

    Pan-tilt-zoom

    180-360 degree panoramic

    Thermal

    Bispectral

    Explosion-proof

  • AI applications include intrusion detection, object tracking, smoke & fire detection, etc.

  • 4G LTE for most remote applications without internet

    Point-to-Point for local wireless connectivity

    Satellite for the most challenging locations with no cell service

    LoRaWAN is a low-power, wide area networking protocol built on top of the LoRa radio modulation technique. It wirelessly connects devices to the internet and manages communication between end-node devices and network gateways.

  • Some of the sensor types available are:

    Contacts for doors, gates, containers (PTZ cameras can slew to cue from sensors)

    Motion or vibration sensors inside vehicles, trailers or containers Environmental sensors, water levels, tank levels, smoke detectors, etc

    MANY OTHER SENSOR TYPES ARE AVAILABLE, JUST ASK US

  • For locations that lack AC power, we can provide you with a solar electric power plant for permanent or semi permanent installs.

    For rapid deploy systems, we include a LiPo battery pack with option for small solar array & related charging equipment.

    For applications like large parking areas, we can provide a battery back-up system that is charged at night when AC power is being delivered to the lighting system.

  • Siren/strobes can be deployed automatically or manually, speakers can be used to "talk down" directly to intruders or others on your property.

  • Single sign-on (SSO) is a technology which combines several different application login screens into one. With SSO, a user only has to enter their login credentials (username, password, etc.) one time on a single page to access all of their SaaS applications.

  • Good to temperatures down to -40C

Serving World Class Companies Since 2009

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