Would it make sense to GPS enable surveillance cameras? I don't know any that currently do so but we have been discussing something similar for a GPS startup service for security.
Knowing where people are in relation to cameras can certainly make it easier and faster to figure out what camera to choose. However, setting up the GPS coordinates of each camera requires someone going out, getting the coordinates, determinating what direction the camera is looking and then taking that information and entering it into a VMS or security management system.
If you had a GPS receiver built into the camera, the camera could immediately report its position and any client could instantly lay it out on a map plus the direction the camera is looking. Plus, if it was a PTZ camera, it could dynamically update where it was looking at and display this on the client.
The three main downsides I see is:
- The cost of the GPS chip (not sure how much that would add)
- Indoor cameras inside retail stores, etc., basically pointless as cameras are so close together.
- Not as useful as GPS in phones since cameras tend to be stationary.
What do you think?