Vision Detection Systems
Self-Storage site with VDS mobile surveillance
SELF-STORAGE SECURITY · IND-19

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.

80%Incident reduction
$180KAvg. annual savings
<20 minDeploy time
WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST

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.

AI object detection for storage unit break-ins
01 / BREAK-INS

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.

License plate recognition for vehicle storage theft
02 / VEHICLES

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.

Loitering detection at a self-storage gate
03 / ACCESS

Tailgating and after-hours access

Unauthorized entry by tailgating through the gate behind a legitimate tenant, or climbing the fence line after close.

SOC dispatch response for storage facility incidents
04 / LIABILITY

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.

HOW VDS HANDLES IT

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.

GATE & LPR

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
LPR at a self-storage facility gate
// STEP 01
DRIVE-UP ROW COVERAGE

Acres 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
Camera coverage across self-storage drive-up rows
// STEP 02
LIVE SOC MONITORING

No 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
SOC operator monitoring a self-storage facility
// STEP 03
SOLAR AUTONOMY

No 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
Solar-autonomous surveillance at a storage facility
// STEP 04
SELF-STORAGE USE CASES

Every 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.

CUSTOMER RESULTS · 12-MONTH WINDOW

Real operators.
Real numbers.

Every metric below comes from a real VDS self-storage customer. Names protected per agreement.

01 / INCIDENTS
80%
Incident reduction
Overall reduction in break-ins and after-hours incidents across monitored facilities in a 12-month deployment.
02 / SAVINGS
$180K
Avg. annual savings
Average annual savings per operator vs. manned guards and loss from theft, vandalism, and claims.
03 / DEPLOY
<20min
Deploy time
Trailer arrives, mast raised, cameras online, SOC monitoring active — under 20 minutes.
04 / COVERAGE
24/7
Unmanned coverage
Continuous monitoring across the whole lot without guard shifts or site visits. Solar-autonomous year-round.
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.
District Manager · Regional Self-Storage Operator
Customer name protected per agreement
Read the full case study →
VDS Mobile Surveillance Unit
// MSU-A · FLAGSHIPLPR + SOC · SELF-STORAGE
RECOMMENDED FOR SELF-STORAGE

The 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.

Mast
30ft
Cameras
4K PTZ
LPR
Integrated
Connectivity
4G / 5G
Solar array
600W
Monitoring
24/7 SOC
HOW IT GOES

From assessment
to covered.

Most self-storage operators go from initial conversation to a live trailer on the lot inside 7 business days.

DAY 0

Site assessment

We review your facility layout, gate and access points, vehicle rows, and incident history. Fast quote turnaround.

DAY 1–3

Sensor configuration

Camera presets, LPR capture at the gate, detection zones across the rows, and alert rules configured for your specific site.

DAY 4–7

Delivery & commissioning

Trailer delivered, mast raised, cameras and LPR calibrated. SOC monitoring begins immediately. No trenching required.

ONGOING

Monitoring & reporting

Monthly incident reports, access and vehicle logs, and system health delivered automatically. Trailer relocated as you expand.

GET STARTED

Cover your whole facility this week.

Tell us how many facilities, their layouts, and your biggest loss driver — we'll quote the deployment — fast.