Barn Owl Blog

We are thrilled to announce that Barn Owl had the honor of sponsoring the 2024 Cattlemen's Ball of Nebraska, an event that successfully raised $700,000 for cancer research. These donations will benefit the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha, supporting vital advancements in cancer treatment and care.  Helping Ranchers As a Colorado Springs-based company, Barn Owl specializes in AI-enabled, camera-based remote monitoring solutions to serve ranchers and people in the agricultural space; being part of the Cattlemen’s Ball was near and dear to our heart. This year, we contributed over $6,000 worth of equipment to the Cattlemen's Ball silent auction, furthering our commitment to supporting the agricultural community and essential research initiatives. Cattlemen's Ball 2024 Reception  Impact The Cattlemen's Ball of Nebraska, held annually at a new location each year, serves as a pivotal fundraiser for cancer research, with 90% of the proceeds dedicated to the Buffett Cancer Center and 10% going back to local health and wellness programs. The event not only highlights the generosity of the participants but also showcases the unique regions of Nebraska, bringing together communities for a noble cause. Cattlemen's Ball 2024 Auction  We are proud to be a part of this impactful event and look forward to continuing our support for these meaningful initiatives. We hope to be a part of such events in the future as well. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this year's success!   Cheers, The Barn Owl Team

We are thrilled to announce a significant investment from Cypress Growth Capital. This partnership will help us expand our AI-enabled, off-grid remote monitoring cameras across various sectors, including agriculture, municipal, and military. With Cypress' support, we'll continue to grow and solve key pain points for customers around the country. Read the full announcement on our blog!

One Mount to Rule Them All: The Barn Owl Universal Mount   If you’re looking for a mount that just works—no matter where you need to put your camera—then the Barn Owl Universal Mount is your best bet. Instead of stressing over whether you need a strap, screw, or clamp, the Universal Mount gives you all of the above in one package. Whether you’re mounting to a tree, a wooden post, a metal T-post, or even a fence, you’ve got a secure, stable solution. And the double ball mount means you can easily adjust your camera and solar panel for the perfect angle—because what good is a camera if it's not pointing in the right direction? Other Mounts: Purpose-Built for Specific Needs If you know exactly where your camera is going and don’t need the flexibility of the Universal Mount, these options could be a good fit: For Wood or Trees: Tough Mount – If you’re mounting to trees or wooden posts and want maximum grip, this one’s got a self-tapping screw and rock-solid hold. RAM Screw Mount – Built for harsh conditions, this heavy-duty, marine-grade aluminum mount is for those who need something extra tough (and it comes with a lifetime warranty). For Flat Surfaces Like Barns & Buildings: RAM Wall Mount – Same idea, but with infinite adjustability and a lifetime warranty. Great if you want to fine-tune your camera’s positioning. For T-Posts, Poles, & Other Narrow Surfaces: Standard Clamp Mount with Ball Head – Perfect for mounting to T-posts, small poles, or windmills. Easy to install, holds steady. RAM Clamp Mount – A step up in durability with the RAM Tough-Claw system, which securely clamps onto oddly shaped objects and can be repositioned easily. So, Which One is Right for You? If you like simplicity and flexibility, the Universal Mount is the best choice—hands down. It covers all major mounting scenarios and makes adjustments easy. Either way, we’ve got you covered. Still not sure? Reach out—we’d be happy to help you pick the right mount for your setup!

When setting up your barn camera system, there are a few points to keep in mind. We attempt to address each below. We hope this article will guide and help you make a better, more informed purchasing decision.   Barn Layout and Camera Lens Angle: The layout of your barn will impact the number of cameras you need and determine which cameras and camera lens angles will work best for your operations. For calving and foaling operations, not all barns are the same. Barn layouts change from barn to barn and built in all sizes. Some barns have two rows of calving pens directly across from each other (example A above), others include a row of calving pens and another row for bonding pens (example B above). Others include Calving sheds, group pens, and a drive-through lane. Before purchasing, you should review your barn layout and determine what you hope to accomplish with a Barn Camera System. Count the number of pens you need to monitor, measure the distance between the camera and the pen, and decide if you want cameras monitoring your access points.   Camera Lens: Wide Angle versus Standard Angle Most wireless cameras offer two lens options: standard angle and wide angle. When choosing which lens angle to go with, you need to have a general sense of how far away your cameras will be mounted from the object or area that you hope to monitor. As part of this process, you should also consider the DORI measurements of the camera. For example, the Barn Owl RangeCam Wide Angle Camera has an observation distance of 76 feet. The Barn Owl RangeCam Standard Angle has an observation distance of 147 feet. These observation distances will impact where you position your cameras and how many you will need. — DORI: Detection, Observation, Recognition, Identification. If you’re using your cameras for calving and foaling operations, you most likely want to focus more on the observation and recognition measurements. The detection level will not provide the details you are expect from the camera. To learn more about these measurements, please refer to our guide on DORI principles found here or download our barn owl DORI guide. When shopping for cameras, look closely at how each company promotes the detection levels. At Barn Owl, we focus on observation and recognition. Other companies focus on detection, which, as shown above, will not provide the details you need to make sense of what is happening in the image. — Standard Angle Lens: A standard angle lens is ideal if you want a camera focused on an individual pen (example A) or a pen further away from the camera’s mounting position. Wide Angle Lens: A wide-angle lens is great for viewing large, horizontal distances. Going back to the barn layout (example B), If you have a row of calving pens or bonding pens, using a wide-angle lens will allow you to monitor the row in a single view - up to a certain point. For this to work well - again, thinking about the observation and recognition levels, the pens need to be close to where the camera is mounted. The wide-angle lens can also be a good option for monitoring the points of entry.   Camera Power Sources: The next item to consider is your camera’s power source. When it comes to wireless barn cameras, there are multiple ways to provide power to the camera. If your barn has available power, using the Barn Owl AC Adaptor is your obvious choice. Unfortunately, not all barns have available power sources. Power options to consider:   AC Adaptor: Best As mentioned, the Barn Owl AC Adaptor is your best bet. Again, you will need available power for this to work.   Solar + Battery Pack: Great Solar is a great solution in combination with the battery pack. The Barn Owl solar panels come in different sizes and produce different amounts of energy. For example, our mega panels provide up to 25,000 mAh of power, and our premium panels provide about 8,000 mAh. Combined with the camera battery packs, you can expect several months of uptime without changing your battery pack.   Car Battery: Good Another option is to connect the camera directly to a car battery. Car batteries provide about 48,000 mAh of power (60 times more than the battery bank). Car batteries can be re-charged with a standard generator, and thanks to the low power needs of the camera, you can power multiple devices with a single battery. For those wanting to connect their cameras to a car battery, Barn Owl carries 12V Battery Terminal Connectors that you can purchase separately for each camera. Click here to purchase: 12V Battery Terminal Connectors   Battery Pack: OK Your last resort is to rely solely on the camera’s battery bank. Most cellular cameras use a AA battery bank that provides about 800 mAH of power. If running continually, you could expect about 2-5 months of standby time from the camera. During the busy calving and foaling seasons, it would be worthwhile to find a way to connect a solar panel or spend the extra money to pick up a spare car battery.   System Features:   The last point of consideration are all the features available with the various Barn Camera Systems on the market. In our opinion, If you’re using your Barn Cameras for Cattle and Calving operations, Horse and Foaling operations, or other livestock operations, then there are specific features that should be viewed as table stakes (included) when purchasing.   High Quality photo and video transfers: Not all camera systems allow you to transfer HD images and videos over the cellular network - they require you to pull the SD cards. And if they do allow for the transmission, many times, they will only allow for a select few each month. The health of your cattle and horses during calving and the foaling season is of the utmost importance. Do not risk the health of your animals with low-quality images.   Live On Demand Content: Again, you need to know what is going on in your pens. With Barn Owl Live On Demand, you can trigger photos, multiple burst shots, and videos anytime, day or night, and transmit high-quality, uninterrupted footage. With features such as Livestream, the footage can be truncated, slow, and choppy due to weak network signals. We’ve designed our system to capture the footage first and send it immediately in one file to remove the risk of truncated files or slow to load files.   Real-time Alerts: Real-time alerts are not always included. At Barn Owl, we include unlimited email alerts, and you can configure your camera settings to send you text alerts when criteria are met, such as motion or when specific objects are detected.   Camera Groupings: Camera groupings are important if you have other cameras on your property or have many pens to cover. With Barn Owl camera groupings, you can easily manage all your camera locations without filtering through hundreds of images from multiple cameras spread out over your entire operation.   Ai to monitor points of entry: For barn security, look for remote monitoring systems that include Ai Object Identification for vehicles. Unlike other camera options, Barn Owl Ai is available on every camera we sell, and to help save on costs, you can turn the feature on per camera. This protects you from having to pay for Ai on cameras where it is not needed.   ——   We hope this list helps you with your decision-making process. If you still have questions about what cameras and which configurations are right for you, please schedule a demo with our sales team and we will walk you through how best to set up your barn camera system.    Ready to purchase? Shop the entire lineup of Barn Owl Cameras: Shop Now.

Barn Owl Ai With Barn Owl Ai, you can now set alerts to trigger when images include objects such as people, vehicles, and animals. We designed Barn Owl Ai to help reduce the number of unwanted alerts you receive while continuing to keep you informed when issues need your attention. The Problem we set out to Solve Cameras designed for remote monitoring are great at capturing anything and everything. The downside is that individuals tasked with managing alerts and updates from multiple cameras, projects, and locations become inundated with too many images (noise). Images that do not contain any relevant information. With Barn Owl Ai, we set out to reduce the noise and introduce the benefits of remote monitoring with Ai capabilities. Who can benefit from Remote Monitoring with Ai? We built Version 1.0 of Barn Owl Ai to work for multiple use cases. If you are monitoring an access gate on a ranch, Barn Owl Ai will alert you when a vehicle or person enters or exits. If you are hunting, Barn Owl Ai will alert you when an animal is in view. If monitoring your property for trespassers, Barn Owl Ai will alert you when a person is present. As our remote monitoring with ai capabilities expand, we expect to introduce more granular controls and make the system smarter by enhancing the object identification features. Barn Owl Ai Benefits:‍ Alerts When They Matter: You can now create alerts that only trigger when specific objects are identified. You can choose from Animals, People, or Vehicles.‍ Remove the Noise: With Barn Owl Ai, you only receive alerts when something is worth your attention.‍ Manage Your Data: When you activate Barn Owl Ai, you can quickly filter through your photos and highlight those that have identifiable objects.‍ How does Barn Owl Ai work? When you activate the Ai feature on your camera, your camera will automatically begin capturing images with all three tags available: People, Vehicles, and Animals. You then have the option to set your alert settings to trigger based on one of those three tags or any combination of each. And in your camera gallery, you will also see those three tags available within your filtering options for easy management. - People, Animal, and Vehicle Detection Barn Owl Ai can identify objects within an image. In our first release, the Ai recognizes objects such as People, Animals, and Vehicles. The Ai will not identify specific details such as types of vehicles, animal species, and animal type. Let's say you have a camera placed at a job site and want to be alerted whenever a vehicle comes into view of the camera. With the motion trigger set to "on," and the Ai set to trigger on "Vehicles," the camera will take an image each time it senses movement. Barn Owl Ai will then scan the images and if a vehicle is detected, you will receive an alert. This all happens in a matter of seconds. - Historical Image Filtering Currently, Barn Owl Ai will not filter images that were taken without Ai being turned on. ‍ ------ ‍ How to Activate Barn Owl Ai? Barn Owl Ai is available for all accounts. There are no firmware or app updates required. Follow these steps for activation: Step by Step: Login to your Barn Owl Account at app.barnowl.com [ Link ] Navigate to your Camera Gallery Select the “…” icon and open Camera Settings Under “Triggers” confirm that Motion is set to “On” Select “Capture” and turn Object Detection to “On” Return to your camera gallery and select "camera alerts" Under "Events" tell us how you would like to receive alerts and for which types of objects: Animal, Person, Vehicle. Repeat steps 2-7 as necessary for each camera.‍ ‍‍ ------ What does Barn Owl Ai costs? ---------- Get Started with Barn Owl Ai: Get Started with Barn Owl Ai: Login New to Barn Owl? Shop All Cameras

Keeping eyes on your assets is a full-time job, and let’s face it, you can’t be everywhere at once. With Barn Owl remote cellular cameras, customers solve remote monitoring problems and gain peace of mind. We asked Barn Owl users to show us their best pictures for the 2020 Barn Owl photo contest. Congratulations, Chad Johnson! Chad captured the winning image, which is featured at the top of this blog. He uses his Barn Owl system for ranch security and management of cattle. Thanks for the photo, Chad, and enjoy the $25 Barn Owl credit, which can be applied toward a future purchase or your Barn Owl monthly invoice. We had so many great submissions, we decided to share more. Night or day, ranch security or camera trap, customers use their long range wireless cameras for remote monitoring and efficiency. Keep scrolling for a link to see our honorable mentions use their systems. Proof in the Savings The average U.S. ranch clocks in at 20-30 square miles and requires 200-350 miles of driving per week to check on assets like Chad's water tank. Taking those numbers into account, Barn Owl remote cellular cameras would save 6-10 hours of labor and $60 to $180 in fuel and vehicle costs per week. Read one customer's case study and use the calculator inside to add up your potential savings. Check in on your remote property or business with Barn Owl remote surveillance cameras. Monitor remote assets without added manual labor, all while saving time and money. Shop the Barn Owl store now or drop us a question. Email us or chat using the button at the bottom right of your screen. We will be in touch shortly. View our contest honorable mentions and see how customers use their Barn Owl cameras.

Enter our Barn Owl Best Shot photo contest now for a chance to win $25 in Barn Owl bucks. Your reward may be used as credit toward your monthly fees or for your next purchase in our Barn Owl shop. Plus, your photo could be featured in our next Barn Owl customer campaign. Show us how you use Barn Owl for remotely monitoring: Water tanks and other operational equipment; Calving or foaling operations; Wildlife conservation projects; Job sites; Farming, ranching, and hunting. And, we're happy to accept any scenic shots of your environment and surroundings. It’s easy to submit your photos! Save your digital photo as a .jpg, .png or .pdf. Show as much of your story, consider angles and aim for clarity. Read the rules below before entering. Email photo(s) to marketing@barnowl.tech. Include your name and phone number. Optional: Share your entry on your Facebook page with the hashtag #BarnOwlBestShot. Then, whoosh! You’re entered! Contest Rules All photos must be original work, taken by the entrants. No third party may own or control any materials the photo contains, and the photo must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person. The photo must be in its original state and cannot be altered in any way, including but not limited to removing, adding, reversing, or distorting subjects within the frame. Violators will be removed from the contest, stripped of any prize(s), and banned from entering future contests. Entries will not be accepted unless submitted via the official contest channel. Entries not submitted through the proper channel will be deleted. Entries will be judged by Barn Owl Tech. All decisions are final. Barn Owl Tech reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is deemed inappropriate or does not conform to stated contest rules. By entering the contest, entrants agree that photos submitted can be used by Barn Owl Tech for advertising purposes. Submissions will not be accepted once the deadline lapses. The prize must be collected by the winner and is nontransferable. The winner will be contacted via the email address and/or phone number provided during entry. If no response is received after seven business days, a new winner will be selected and the previous winner will forfeit all rights to the prize. The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law.

No matter the type of rural property you have, you want to protect your assets. If you don’t have the time or manpower to consistently monitor critical areas of your property in person, a video surveillance system may be the right option for you. There are a lot of options out there, so how do you know which one is right for your property?  Here are five things to consider when choosing a video surveillance system: 1. What type of property do you have? Your remote video surveillance system needs will vary depending on the type of property. A cattle rancher in Wyoming, a hunter in Alabama, a horse breeder in Kentucky, and a farmer in Nebraska will have different monitoring needs.  2. Which parts of your property need monitoring? Do you need a camera that can hold up to all types of weather conditions? Are you worried about animals damaging your camera systems? If you’re worried about theft, do you need a camouflaged option? Consider the most critical assets on your property to determine where monitoring is most essential.  3. How often do you want to check in on your property? If you want or need 24/7 video footage of your property, a closed circuit video surveillance system might be for you. However, that can quickly become expensive. If you’re monitoring remote areas of your property, a cellular camera that allows you to trigger on-demand photo or video and delivers motion activated alerts via text or email may be better for you. 4. Do you want wired or wireless? If the area you want to monitor is remote and outdoors, a wireless option is likely your best bet. Wireless cameras also have the benefit of being easily moved, so your video surveillance system can be relocated when necessary.  5. Do you need a solar-powered surveillance option?  If the area you want to monitor gets direct sunlight, a solar-powered remote video surveillance system may be the best option for you. This renewable energy source reduces the need to monitor battery life. Your solar-powered surveillance system will likely have back-up batteries in case the solar panel doesn’t receive enough daily sunlight for a full charge. Otherwise, solar-powered surveillance is a great sustainable option for monitoring your assets. The best remote video surveillance system for your peace of mind Farms, ranches, and other rural properties have unique video surveillance needs. This is especially true if you require customer support while setting up and maintaining your camera system. Companies familiar with agricultural or rural surveillance needs are likely a better solution than a general video surveillance company.  Customer support that understands your unique needs as a rural property owner can be invaluable in making your video surveillance system as effective as possible for your property. The dedicated support team at Barn Owl is here to answer all your questions about choosing Barn Owl for your remote video surveillance system. No matter the type of video surveillance system you choose for your property, it’s important to take time to research and find an option that will truly work for your needs. Barn Owl understands that protecting your assets is critical. If you’d like to know more about cellular security cameras for your rural property, contact us today.