Project Overview

Smart Detection Systems has developed a camera-based AI monitoring system designed to help councils and contractors manage stormwater and drainage infrastructure more effectively.

This fully autonomous solution provides real-time detection of debris buildup, delivering early warnings and actionable insights that reduce risk, cut operational costs, and improve compliance. With solar-powered hardware, rugged enclosures, and remote connectivity, it can be installed at culverts, headwalls, and drainage points with no trenching or cabling required.

The Challenge

Blocked or debris-laden drainage assets can lead to:

1. Localised flooding
2. Asset damage
3. Emergency call-outs
4. Public safety risks and insurance claims

Current inspection regimes are typically manual, reactive, and scheduled regardless of actual need, which leads to wasted labour, delayed responses, and limited visibility. During weather events, crews often rely on best-guess prioritisation or outdated information.

Councils and asset managers need a smarter, real-time system to help identify and prioritise intervention — especially across large or hard-to-access networks.

The Proposed Solution

The Smart Debris Monitoring System provides autonomous, AI-powered oversight of stormwater and culvert sites — without the need for trenching, hardwired power, or complex infrastructure.

Key Features:

1. Camera-based machine learning detects debris accumulation and changes in water flow
2. Solar-powered & low-maintenance, designed for harsh outdoor conditions
3. 4G connectivity with optional satellite fallback for remote installations
4. Live image feed and alert system enables rapid response
5. Customisable thresholds and alert types by region, site, severity, or responder
6. Time-lapse image history supports predictive maintenance and planning
7. Simple interface for both field crews and managers — no logins or training required

How It Works

Each unit is installed adjacent to the monitored asset (e.g. culvert inlet or headwall). It begins capturing data continuously, regardless of weather conditions.

1. AI scans image feeds for signs of obstruction or debris accumulation
2. On detection, the system sends an instant alert with a time-stamped image and location
3. Alerts are filtered by predefined parameters (e.g. obstruction size, storm triggers)
4. Dashboard view shows the live status of all monitored locations on one map
5. Historical image data provides a visual record for audits, reports, and pattern recognition

With no physical access or manual login needed, teams can assess and respond to risks remotely, reducing unnecessary site checks.

Projected Outcomes

Pending field deployment, the system is projected to deliver:

1. 60–90% reduction in manual inspections
2. Immediate alerts for debris accumulation, rather than waiting for scheduled visits
3. Better prioritisation of maintenance crews during high-risk weather events
4. Reduced flood damage and related costs through faster intervention
5. Improved reporting, planning, and budgeting via data-driven insights
6. Lower insurance exposure and stronger regulatory compliance
7. Complete oversight across all high-risk stormwater assets from a single screen

Future Potential

The Smart Debris Monitoring System is designed to scale from individual high-risk sites to region-wide council deployments.

Future system enhancements include:

1. Water level trend analysis for flood prediction
2. Auto-generated compliance reports
3. Integration with hydraulic modelling platforms
4. Multisensor overlays for water quality, rainfall, and flow velocity

This technology forms part of a broader movement toward smart infrastructure management, offering local governments and contractors a proactive, efficient way to manage drainage networks.