Beyond Cameras: why mobile surveillance is the right‑fit for remote security

Main image: Hastings Deering Brisbane Workshop.

Across Australia's mining industry, security risks continue to evolve. As operators seek more efficient ways to secure assets and maintain site awareness, mobile surveillance technology is emerging as a practical alternative to conventional security.

Mining operators manage a range of identified risks when it comes to security, most with traditional solutions like physical security guards, but with the dramatic and rapid improvement in technology, it is time to revisit those solutions for better, more efficient and safer outcomes ADT General Manager, Geoff Campbell-Brown explains.

“ADT Guard challenges the thinking that traditional security risks must be addressed in traditional ways,” Mr Campbell-Brown said. “Physical security guards are not always the most effective solution, especially in remote areas, in fact in those cases they are not very effective at all.”

“The Australian mining industry is one of the most regulated and risk conscious industries in the world, if there is a risk identified it likely has a management solution in place to mitigate the risk."

“We are asking the industry to rethink whether Security Risk A – trespass and malicious damage, for example, is really best addressed by Solution A – security guards stationed at a remote gate.

"It's time to consider something new. ADT Guard delivers remote monitoring with direct, immediate intervention. It has been proven effective in deescalating situations of trespass and malicious intent, it removes guards from danger and, unlike physical guard intervention, it is immediate and always there,” he said.

Remote operations, dispersed assets, temporary project sites and critical supply chain facilities create an environment where traditional security measures are uneconomical and pose delayed response times from a physical standpoint.

They need visibility, verification and the ability to respond in real time. ADT Guard delivers that capability, supporting physical site security and enhancing existing security infrastructure.

ADT Guard Mobile Surveillance Units (MSU) are specifically designed for remote, high-risk and unmanned environments. Combining ADT’s 24/7 professional monitoring with AI-enabled analytics, autonomous solar power and battery storage, the solution provides continuous oversight without the need for fixed power, communications networks or permanent infrastructure.

What differentiates ADT Guard MSU from many mobile camera solutions is ADT’s ability to actively intervene. AI-enabled cameras detect suspicious activity, which is immediately verified by trained monitoring specialists in the Australian-based monitoring room. Operators issue live audio warnings and lighting alarms to alert and deter potential trespassers and escalate verified incidents to site personnel or local authorities when required.

The technology is increasingly being deployed across mine sites, processing facilities, workshops, fuel storage areas, logistics depots, power stations, warehouses and supply chain hubs where maintaining visibility is critical to operational continuity.

Flexible deployment options allow units to be rapidly installed, relocated and scaled as projects evolve.

For mining operators, the result is more than improved security. It is enhanced operational awareness, immediate incident response, lower reliance on guarding resources and a stronger ability to protect critical assets across some of Australia's most challenging environments.

ADT Security has worked with the Australian mining industry for more than 20 years, developing industry-specific security solutions in consultation with the mining operators who use them.

For more information contact the ADT Integrated Security team on 131 238.