Rows of units. No one on site.That's the whole problem.
Self-storage facilities are sprawling, low-staffed, and open long after the office closes. Break-ins, cut locks, vehicle and RV theft, and after-hours loitering happen across acres of drive-up rows with no one watching. VDS deploys solar-autonomous surveillance across the property, reads every plate at the gate, and puts a live SOC operator on every alert — no guard shack required.
Exposed sites.
High-value targets with no one watching.
Minimal staffing, sprawling ground, and valuable assets in the open — the conditions that turn a site into a soft target the moment everyone goes home.
Unit break-ins and cut locks
Tenants and intruders work down a row of units after hours, cutting locks and clearing contents before the next office open.
Vehicle, RV, and boat theft
Outdoor RV, boat, and vehicle storage rows hold high-value assets that roll away with almost no friction on an unmonitored lot.
Tailgating and after-hours access
Unauthorized entry by tailgating through the gate behind a legitimate tenant, or climbing the fence line after close.
Vandalism and tenant disputes
Graffiti, dumping, squatting in empty units, and tenant-vs-tenant disputes that turn into liability claims with no footage to resolve them.
Drop the trailer.
The SOC takes it from here.
Solar-autonomous surveillance with AI analytics and live SOC operators. No power, no internet, no guards required.
Every plate.
Every entry.
License plate recognition at the gate logs every vehicle in and out, ties access to a time and a plate, and flags hotlisted vehicles — turning your entry point into an evidence-grade record instead of a blind spot.
- Automatic plate capture at gate, day and night
- Entry/exit log tied to time and plate
- Hotlist alerts for flagged vehicles
- Evidence packages for law enforcement and claims
STEP 01Acres of rows.
One virtual perimeter.
The MSU establishes camera coverage across drive-up rows and outdoor vehicle storage from an elevated mast. AI classifies people versus vehicles and flags movement between units after hours before a single lock is cut.
- Elevated coverage across drive-up rows
- AI human and vehicle classification
- After-hours movement alerts between units
- Works in zero-light across the whole lot
STEP 02No guard shack.
A live operator instead.
Every alert routes to a live SOC operator who verifies it, issues a real-time audio warning through the on-unit speaker, and escalates to law enforcement — the deterrence of a guard without the cost or turnover.
- Live operator verification on every alert
- Real-time voice-down warnings through the speaker
- Escalation to law enforcement with footage
- Monthly incident and access reporting
STEP 03No trenching.
No wiring the whole lot.
Solar power and 4G/5G cellular mean coverage goes where the rows are — the back fence line, the RV lot, the far corner the fixed cameras never reached — with no trenching, no conduit, and no utility work.
- Solar-autonomous — no grid power required
- 4G/5G cellular backhaul
- Covers corners fixed cameras miss
- Relocatable as the facility expands
STEP 04Every asset on site.
One platform.
The MSU adapts to your facility layout. Here are the scenarios self-storage operators deploy for most often.
Drive-up unit rows
Long rows of exterior drive-up units where intruders can work lock to lock after hours with no natural surveillance.
RV, boat & vehicle storage
Outdoor high-value vehicle rows where a single theft can cost tens of thousands and roll off an unmonitored lot in minutes.
Gate & access points
Facility entrances where LPR ties every entry to a plate and flags tailgating and unauthorized access.
Perimeter fence line
Back and side fence lines where climbers and fence-cutters bypass the gate entirely.
Unmanned & remote facilities
Fully automated or rural facilities with no on-site staff at all, monitored end to end from the SOC.
Multi-site portfolios
Operators running many facilities who need consistent, centrally monitored coverage without guards at each location.
Real operators.
Real numbers.
Every metric below comes from a real VDS self-storage customer. Names protected per agreement.
Customer-reported outcomes from VDS deployments. Results vary by site conditions, monitoring configuration, and response protocols. How we measure →
We were getting hit at least once a month. The trailer went up, the break-ins stopped, and the audio warnings clear people out before they ever reach a unit.
MSU-A · FLAGSHIPLPR + SOC · SELF-STORAGEThe Mobile Surveillance Unit.
Built for the whole lot.
Gate LPR, drive-up row coverage, and 24/7 SOC monitoring — all from a single solar-autonomous trailer that covers the corners your fixed cameras never reached.
From assessment
to covered.
Most self-storage operators go from initial conversation to a live trailer on the lot inside 7 business days.
Site assessment
We review your facility layout, gate and access points, vehicle rows, and incident history. Fast quote turnaround.
Sensor configuration
Camera presets, LPR capture at the gate, detection zones across the rows, and alert rules configured for your specific site.
Delivery & commissioning
Trailer delivered, mast raised, cameras and LPR calibrated. SOC monitoring begins immediately. No trenching required.
Monitoring & reporting
Monthly incident reports, access and vehicle logs, and system health delivered automatically. Trailer relocated as you expand.
Common questions.
How fast can VDS deploy at a self-storage site?
A mobile surveillance unit is live in under 20 minutes once it arrives — most self-storage sites go from first call to monitored coverage in days, not months. Most self-storage operators go from initial conversation to a live trailer on the lot inside 7 business days.
Do the units need power or internet at the site?
No. VDS units are solar-autonomous with battery storage and connect over cellular (4G/5G), so there is no trenching, no generator refueling schedule, and no dependence on site IT. That is what makes them practical for sites where fixed infrastructure is missing or still under construction.
What happens when the system detects someone after hours?
AI detection classifies the event and filters routine motion before a person ever sees it. A SOC operator verifies the live feed, challenges intruders by voice through 120 dB speakers with strobes, and — when it escalates — dispatches police with live video of the scene.
Which self-storage security problems does monitored surveillance address?
The most common incidents at self-storage sites are unit break-ins and cut locks, vehicle, rv, and boat theft, tailgating and after-hours access, vandalism and tenant disputes — the same exposure areas covered in the sections above. Monitored coverage addresses them by making the site actively watched instead of just recorded.
Can VDS work alongside our existing guards or security partner?
Yes — that is the standard model. Monitored surveillance carries the perimeter and after-hours watch, so people — yours or your security partner's — handle verified incidents instead of standing watch over empty hours. The SOC can route verified alerts to your team, your guard provider, or police dispatch.
Cover your whole facility this week.
Tell us how many facilities, their layouts, and your biggest loss driver — we'll quote the deployment — fast.