Camel Detection System over Optical Ground Wire among Highways between Cities and Villages

Authors: Ahmad Alotaibi, Mansour Alyami, Hussain Alsalman, Khaled Alsheddi

Abstract: Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE face recurring hazards due to camels crossing highways, often leading to fatal car accidents. The current mitigation strategy—constructing double fences on both sides of highways—is both capital- and labour-intensive, especially considering the region’s harsh climate and long highway stretches (e.g., the 380 km Riyadh–Dammam route). To address this issue more efficiently, this patent proposes an innovative, cost-effective monitoring system that leverages existing power transmission towers and infrastructure alongside highways. These power towers, connected via power lines and Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) fibres, are already used to transmit electricity between substations. The proposed system involves mounting a Local Access Network (LAN) on each tower, composed of an outdoor industrial switch and a long-range camera. Each switch is powered by a standalone DC system utilizing solar panels, Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, and an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS), ensuring operation under extreme environmental conditions. The long-range cameras, connected via PoE, continuously monitor the highway for camels. Captured video is analysed in real-time by a YOLO (You Only Look Once) object detection algorithm hosted in a centralized data centre. Once a camel is detected, an alert is automatically sent to the highway security team via SMS, with location data derived from the reporting camera's IP address. This solution eliminates the need for costly new infrastructure and extensive maintenance, offering a scalable, environmentally resilient system to prevent camel-related accidents across Gulf highways.