END OF THE SURVEILLANCE VAN: Maybe… and There Are Excellent Alternatives

For many agencies, the notion of using a surveillance van has long since passed, and for most… that notion may have never occurred. Why? At the very top of the list is the expensive price tag just to buy a surveillance van—never mind the expense of maintaining and manning one. Outside of the dollar figure, vans are typically complicated to use, prompting repeated training. Keeping a surveillance van from getting “made” these days is also a trick in and of itself. And lastly, few people want to spend hours confined in a steel box.

Continued Need

Now before you think that I have sullied the repute of surveillance vans too much, there are still a couple of excellent uses for them. A big one is anytime there is a surveillance op where live coverage is required, often coupled with the likely need of immediate officer intervention.

Go Unmanned

Another excellent use of surveillance vans is converting them to unmanned rigs. These days, the job of monitoring activities from an old television can be accomplished remotely—from anywhere in the world. In most cases, this can be done with the simple addition of a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) and 4G Modem. Even the latest DVRs are usually compatible with the oldest of analog style surveillance cameras. For those integrated cameras with pan/tilt/zoom, they too can be controlled via DVR so long as they have RS485 or RS232 input.

Depending upon the DVR installed, multiple personnel can monitor live via smartphone apps. Many DVRs now include built-in analytics that notify users when an event occurs. Evidence can also be stored not only on the DVR itself, but also on remote servers using VMS (video management software).

Alternatives to the Van

Drop Cars

If you’ve canned the van or never started with one, there are excellent alternatives such as drop cars. As the name implies, drop cars are vehicles that are left near the target area and act as a giant covert concealment. These cars can be almost any make and model so long as they blend in with the environment.

Early examples include state welfare fraud units deploying SUVs with tinted windows to conceal PTZ cameras. Today, higher resolution cameras with better low-light capability make drop cars even more powerful, with full remote control via the internet and automated alerts when activity is detected.

Sedans can also be equipped with multiple high-resolution pinhole or bullet cameras, cleverly concealed in grilles or even under a newspaper. Theft concerns can be mitigated with DVRs that include GPS tracking and alarms, allowing the drop car to double as a bait car.

Pole Cameras

Advances in surveillance gear make pole cameras very easy and quick to install. The MAXSUR SV1 covert street light camera, for example, can be installed in minutes and remains virtually undetectable. From the ground, the PTZ port appears as a small sticker, yet provides full facial ID and license plates over a hundred feet away—all controlled from a smartphone.

For greater optical power, systems like the SV2 and GBOX ULTRA provide long-range PTZ capability with concealment in utility enclosures.

Mini Pole Cameras

Mini pole cameras are battery powered, fast to deploy, and perfect for missions lasting a few days to a week. The GBOX MINI features a HD pinhole camera, secure WiFi, and onboard recording. Despite its small size, it provides covert coverage that can be monitored via smartphone or remotely worldwide when paired with a hotspot.

Purpose-Built Concealments

From traffic cones to beer boxes, creative concealments provide unlimited alternatives to a surveillance van. Systems can be hidden inside everyday items, blending perfectly into urban or rural environments.

Thanks for reading. Hopefully this article has sparked ideas for your agency. I’d love to hear your comments or suggestions. Click here to email me directly.

Best regards,
Jake Lahmann
COO
MAXSUR

Addendum: Increased Threats, Drones, and Satellite Options

The threat environment for law enforcement and security operations has grown significantly. Surveillance missions today must address not only traditional targets but also highly mobile and technologically advanced adversaries. This makes exploring alternatives to traditional surveillance vans even more critical.

New endurance drones now provide hours of flight time, heavy payload support, and long-range encrypted data links. They can be deployed rapidly for persistent surveillance where a van or fixed concealment would be impractical. Paired with covert ground systems, drones create a force-multiplying aerial perspective.

Additionally, satellite services from MAXSUR expand coverage beyond line-of-sight, offering agencies the ability to monitor large regions, track movement patterns, and supplement ground-based surveillance with global intelligence capabilities.

Together, these new technologies—combined with drop cars, pole cameras, and concealments—form a modern surveillance toolkit that is cost-effective, harder to detect, and more adaptable to evolving threats.