Ideas & Roadmap - Camera Systems

A living collection of camera system ideas targeting construction sites across Australia. Systems span a wide range of price points, connectivity options, and capabilities. Two systems are already built; the rest are concepts at various stages of thinking. Focus is on the construction vertical — progress documentation, site security, safety monitoring, and client reporting.

Tier 1 — Ultra Budget ~$50–$150 hardware

Smartphone Camera

A used Android phone in a weatherproof enclosure with solar power and 4G upload. $160–240 per unit. Captures 12MP timelapse via custom APK, uploads to existing Cloudflare Worker pipeline. Samsung A34/A54 or Pixel 6a.

In Development Android 4G Solar

Tier 2 — Budget ~$150–$400 hardware

NB-IoT Offline Camera

Ultra-budget timelapse for remote sites using NB-IoT heartbeats ($1–3/month) for health monitoring. Stores DSLR-quality images locally. Pi Zero 2W and ESP32 variants. Deep sleep cycle keeps power consumption minimal — runs indefinitely on solar + small battery.

In Development ESP32 Pi Zero 2W NB-IoT Solar

4G Timelapse Pod

Same form factor as the NB-IoT system but with a standard 4G/LTE SIM. More expensive per month (~$10–20) but sends full-resolution images and can be monitored in real time. Targets remote sites with 4G coverage but no fixed internet connection.

Concept Pi Zero 2W 4G LTE Solar

Tier 3 — Mid Range ~$500–$1,200 hardware

Production DSLR Camera

Canon DSLR on Raspberry Pi 3B/4. 200+ sites across Australia. gphoto2 capture every 5 min, Cloudflare Worker upload pipeline, Backblaze B2 storage. Mains-powered, fixed ethernet or Wi-Fi. The current production workhorse.

Production Pi 3B/4 Canon DSLR 200+ Units

Multi-Angle Site Hub

One Raspberry Pi managing 3–5 cheap USB or IP cameras positioned around a site — gate entry, crane, facade, interior shell. Single upload pipeline, multiple viewpoints. Big value-add for large sites where one angle is insufficient. Reuses existing infrastructure.

Concept Pi 4 Multi-cam USB/IP cams

Tier 4 — Premium ~$1,500–$4,000 hardware

PTZ Live View Camera

A pan-tilt-zoom IP camera with a web interface for remote live inspection — "show me the north wall right now." Timelapse still runs in the background. High perceived value for remote project managers and overseas stakeholders who want on-demand site access.

Concept PTZ Live Stream Web Control

360° Interior Documentation

Ricoh Theta or Insta360 on a tripod, automated weekly shots uploaded to an interactive viewer. Documents interior progress — framing, MEP rough-in, linings, finishes — that a window-mounted DSLR cannot capture. Paired with the exterior DSLR for full-site coverage.

Concept 360° Interior Insta360

Tier 5 — Enterprise Custom pricing

AI Progress Camera

Standard camera plus a cloud AI pipeline that detects construction milestones (slab poured, framing complete, windows in), safety violations (no PPE, restricted zone breach), and worker counts. Generates automated weekly progress reports for project managers. The highest SaaS revenue potential.

Concept AI / CV Safety Reporting

Drone Integration Hub

Periodic drone flights (weekly or monthly) uploaded to the same infrastructure as fixed cameras. Full site orthomosaic and 3D model alongside the timelapse. Partners with drone operators or automates with a dock-equipped autonomous drone. Complete aerial + ground record.

Concept Drone Orthomosaic 3D Model