Security & Cameras

Buying advice

Separate building blocks from finished systems

Edge computers such as the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano or Google Coral Dev Board, sensors such as the Ouster OS1-128 LiDAR and FLIR Boson 640, and vision chips such as the Ambarella CV5 are parts for engineers, not ready-made security products. Their prices leave out enclosures, power, mounting, software development and testing, all of which you pay for separately. Compare them with complete cameras and robots only if you have an engineering team ready to build the rest. As of October 2026, $80 bought the least expensive priced model, the Ambarella CV5 AI Vision SoC, and $280,000 the most expensive, the ECA Group CAMELEON LG, and 17 more were sold by quote only.

Price the response, not just the patrol

A patrol robot or AI camera creates alerts, and every alert needs someone to look at it. Before you compare hardware prices, estimate who will watch the feeds, how often false alarms will pull a guard away and whether a monitoring centre will charge per site or per event. Ask each maker how alerts are filtered, what tuning is included after installation and whether your own team can adjust the analytics without a paid visit. A cheaper system that floods your control room can cost more to run than a dearer one that alerts only on what matters.

Export rules affect lead time and resale

Thermal imaging, some LiDAR and the defence platforms on this page can fall under export controls, which shapes cost as well as eligibility. In the United States, the Commerce Control List in 15 CFR Part 774 sets which items need an export licence, and in the EU, Regulation (EU) 2021/821 governs exports of dual-use items. Ask each maker for the export classification of the exact model before you order, since a licence requirement can add weeks to delivery and narrow the buyers you could later sell to. Build that lower resale value into your cost comparison.

What to look for

• Hardware price against licences for analytics or video management
• How many cameras or robots it takes to cover your site
• Recording rules, data storage and export controls that apply to you

Common questions

Do AI cameras need a subscription?

Some analytics features run on the camera itself, while others need software licences. Check what's included before you compare prices.

Can I buy defence and bomb-disposal robots here?

They are listed on The Humanoid Group for specialist buyers. Request a quote, and note that sales of these systems may be subject to export controls and eligibility rules.

Sources and further reading

• 15 CFR Part 774: The Commerce Control List — eCFR, US Government Publishing Office.
  The US Commerce Control List, which sets export licence needs for controlled items and technology.
• Regulation (EU) 2021/821 on the control of exports of dual-use items — EUR-Lex, European Union.
  The EU regime for licensing exports of dual-use items, including some surveillance technology.