Frequently asked questions.Frequently asked questions.

Run Darkfield on your premises or in your private cloud. Or choose managed hosting on a dedicated, isolated UK instance.

• Compare deployment options

Configured Darkfield solar/4G units record and buffer locally for up to one week, with power and enough storage. Data syncs when connectivity returns. This covers recording, not guaranteed offline AI or spoken actions. Local analysis and rules need working camera links, compute, power and the agreed setup. Remote alerts, live access, two-way talk and cloud analysis need a connection. Third-party cameras have their own limits.

• Plan connectivity and storage

You set the sites, users, rules and permitted actions. Role-based access and audit logs support oversight. Authorised operators can pause or override the system. Review visual matches; they do not confirm identity.

Yes. Say, for example, “Alert the team when a loading bay is blocked for ten minutes”; we agree the cameras, timing, exceptions and action before activation, and your team can review clips, change the rule or pause it.

Darkfield connects to supported systems through MCP (Model Context Protocol). We agree each system, data flow and permitted action—including separate read/write access and any approval step—before setup; compatibility is checked for your deployment.

• Explore platform connections

Darkfield turns camera feeds into real-time alerts, physical actions through connected equipment, data and insights, without someone watching every feed. Your team sets the rules, approves actions and can review or take over.

• Explore the Darkfield platform

Darkfield serves public-safety teams, councils, highway operators, utilities, industrial and logistics sites, construction teams and large estates. Start with the task, then choose the cameras, hosting and access your organisation needs.

• Explore your industry

One point of contact helps you agree cameras, hosting, recording, access and permitted actions. We install and test any supplied cameras, then your team reviews the rules and approval steps before activation.

Yes. Start with one entrance, car park or recurring problem, then add coverage as your needs grow. We assess each location without asking you to replace everything.

Security examples include trespassing, vehicle or parcel theft, retail crime, fly-tipping and vandalism. We set camera views and response rules for the problem, without treating every unfamiliar visitor as a threat.

• Explore the use cases

Yes. Add mobile security response to Darkfield AI monitoring. A patrol can be dispatched automatically or after a check, depending on your agreed workflow. Coverage spans 99.8% of UK postcodes. We confirm local cover and response arrangements for your address before activation. For covered sites, the target is arrival within 10 minutes of dispatch; arrival is not guaranteed. Traffic, weather and incident conditions can affect it.

• Explore security response

Security response is an optional add-on to Darkfield AI monitoring, charged per genuine incident call-out at agreed rates. There is no call-out charge for an unnecessary patrol dispatch. When footage confirms a genuine incident, the call-out is chargeable even if the person leaves before arrival. The officer still checks the site and records the findings.

Keyholding is a separate add-on to security response for authorised indoor checks. Without agreed access, patrols check areas they can lawfully reach. Locksmiths, boarding-up or temporary guarding need your approval of the work and costs.

Local officers respond through your agreed provider, holding the SIA licence their role requires. Individual licences differ from company approval under the voluntary SIA Approved Contractor Scheme; Darkfield does not claim that status, and access and escalation are agreed before activation.

• Check an SIA licence

Call 999 for immediate danger or a crime in progress; do not wait for a patrol. Police decide attendance; non-urgent reports go through 101, online or the relevant Community Protection Team, while private officers have no extra police powers and cannot promise forcible removal—some trespass needs a civil route.

• Police reporting guidance

Cameras capture people, vehicles and readable plates; Darkfield searches visible details and activity, such as standing by a wall or spraying graffiti. Clothing, vehicle features and colours depend on the view and lighting, and a visual match is not proof of identity.

It depends on the camera model: reliable plate capture needs specialised cameras, and some models have limited integration options. Send the make and model so we can confirm supported features.

Try “Find the white van with a ladder”, “Show the person with an olive backpack” or “Find motorcycles near the entrance last Friday after 10pm”. Add a time or place, then review the matching clips; no plate is needed to start.

Your feedback helps Darkfield recognise routine arrivals, deliveries and other site activity. Confirm an event or correct a decision to help reduce repeated unnecessary alerts.

Yes. Managers see their assigned sites in one platform, while each site team sees only the cameras and incidents it is authorised to access.

The supplied-camera service covers survey, installation, cameras, software, maintenance and faulty-camera replacement. Your proposal sets hosting, integrations and storage charges; mobile security is an optional add-on, charged per genuine-incident call-out, and keyholding is separate.

The camera subscription keeps the network working after installation, covering connection, software, maintenance and camera replacement. Your proposal sets out hosting, integration, storage and optional response costs.

No. Darkfield cameras come with the service because their automatic monitoring and search depend on our software.

Compare equipment, installation, monitoring, servicing, repairs and replacement, without counting staff time already covered by monitoring twice. Our calculator compares camera-service costs; hosting, integrations, storage and optional response are scoped separately in your proposal.

• Compare total ownership costs

We handle survey, installation and sign-off. We agree the views and mounting points with you, starting with entrances, exits and the areas that need attention.

Our solar site cameras use LTE, without new power cables or access to your IT network; we check daylight, mobile coverage and mounting first. Doorbells, drone docks and other equipment have separate requirements confirmed in your site plan.

Often we can start with satellite images, street views and your photos. We visit when mounting, daylight, coverage or the layout needs a closer check.

No. We agree access and camera positions beforehand and tell you when the installers will arrive; you are welcome to meet them.

We check views, image quality, charging and connection, and adjust camera positions where needed. Billing and user access begin after validation; maintenance and replacement cover starts at installation.

We monitor camera health and send a team member when an on-site fix is needed. Maintenance and replacement of faulty, damaged or stolen cameras are included in the service.

You choose the contacts and response rules during setup. Darkfield can save the event, alert your team or dispatch mobile security under the agreed workflow, with clips, times and location attached.

Ask the Darkfield assistant for everyday tasks. Videos, guides and training through your point of contact help your team use more advanced features.

Contact your Darkfield point of contact for help with cameras, software or the service. They know your site and can bring in the wider team.

Only authorised users can see footage, with access limited by site and role and supported by audit logs. You set permissions for your team, support and integrations; sharing one incident does not give access to the rest of your cameras.

• Read our Privacy Policy

Events and short evidence clips stay for 30 days by default. Keep recordings, events and evidence for years where needed, with an agreed purpose and enough storage. Continuous recording, capacity, retention and costs are set per deployment. Search covers retained footage and observations; years of storage are not included in every plan.

• Explore recording and retention

Run Darkfield on your premises or in your private cloud. Or choose managed hosting on a dedicated, isolated UK instance. We agree storage locations and outbound connections; data is encrypted in transit and at rest, with access for authorised users only. See the Security Whitepaper for details.

• Read the Security Whitepaper
• Read the Data Processing Agreement

Darkfield supports UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018; Linox Ltd is ICO-registered under ZC175057, which is not certification of your installation. The DPA sets out our responsibilities and yours, including camera purpose, notices, access and retention.

• View our responsibilities in the DPA

Yes. Share a report with relevant clips, times and an incident summary with authorised recipients, including police, without opening access to every camera; supported sharing links have access controls and expiry.

Tell us the location and what you want the cameras to do: send alerts, trigger actions, record data or reveal patterns. A rough plan, camera details and example events help us scope it.

We plan around how your site works. Shared entrances, homes, parking, shops and service areas can form one deployment, without choosing a single industry label.

Yes. Black and white options and carefully chosen positions help cameras suit the site; we agree where a visible deterrent or a discreet view works best.

Only with the right permissions from the land and mounting-point owners. We confirm those before installation and agree suitable views and notices.

Yes. Clear signs should tell people who operates the cameras and why before they enter the monitored area; we agree signage responsibilities in the installation plan.

• ICO guidance on surveillance notices

A College of Policing review found 14% reductions in both vehicle and property crime in CCTV areas compared with areas without it. These are general CCTV findings, not Darkfield results or a site guarantee; coverage, monitoring and response matter.

• Read the College of Policing evidence review

Darkfield gathers the clips and timeline into one report, then saves it, alerts your team or sends it to mobile security under your agreed rules. Share the report with police or community protection teams when appropriate.

Darkfield checks activity against the place, time and site context. A hoodie, group, late arrival or unfamiliar vehicle is not evidence of wrongdoing; your feedback helps decide what needs review or action.

Yes. Residents can register cars in the portal and exclude them from monitoring: their sightings are not recorded or searchable, and managing vehicles gives no access to anyone else’s footage.

Our cameras are designed to capture traffic below 40 mph, day and night. We test the view and lighting; wider roads or more than two moving lanes may need another camera.

No. Darkfield captures moving vehicles but does not measure speed or provide speeding enforcement.

Cars, vans, buses, motorcycles and scooters. Visible features and readable plates help link sightings, but distance, lighting and obstructions limit the detail available.

Yes. Site cameras can pan, tilt and zoom towards an area or event; we plan the views so moving a camera does not leave a critical approach uncovered.

Search visible details such as clothing, bags and general appearance. Night views can lose detail or change colours; results are possible visual matches, not confirmed identities or judgements about someone’s appearance.

Start with the task and view you need: site cameras, number-plate capture or an entrance doorbell. We check compatible existing cameras first and consider drones where an aerial view helps.

One camera can often capture both directions at a small entrance. Wider roads, multiple lanes or obstructions may need more; we test both directions before confirming the setup.

Darkfield Camera covers an entrance, approach or shared area. Deterrence adds three adjustable heads and two-way audio for places with several approaches.

Yes. Its three heads pan and tilt; a fixed upper camera adds another view, and we set the coverage for your site.

A doorbell gives a closer view at the entrance. It helps link doorstep activity with cameras covering the approach and surrounding area.

Yes, on Darkfield Doorbell. It can match a returning person to your site’s alert list and bring the earlier incident for review; a match is not proof of wrongdoing, and an unfamiliar face alone does not trigger a threat response.

Yes, if the delivery area and route are covered: Darkfield can link the parcel event, visible face, entrance movements and vehicle in one timeline. The footage must show what happened; collecting a parcel alone is not evidence of theft.

It depends on the view you need. We check the entrance, approach and delivery area before recommending a doorbell, wider coverage or both.

A docked drone adds a live view beyond fixed cameras and can follow a person or vehicle within the permitted area. Flights follow your approved operating plan, either automatically or with operator approval, and share the view with your team or mobile security.

• Explore Darkfield Drone

No one needs to stand beside the dock. Launch through the platform, with an authorised operator able to take over; automatic flights still need the approved plan, suitable conditions and required permissions.

A drone can check blind spots or open ground and gather footage before a team arrives. It can avoid a patrol sent only to check the view, but does not replace a needed physical response.

We choose the dock, range, charging and cameras for your site. Thermal imaging can help at night; your site plan confirms the equipment and supported features.

We agree training, operator duties and permissions before deployment, with guidance and ongoing support. Specific Category flights require CAA authorisation; using a dock does not remove that requirement.

• CAA guidance on more complex drone operations

Camera clips, the incident and drone response stay together in Darkfield. We check any other system connections and confirm what your site supports.

Yes, where footage covers the route: describe the person and Darkfield finds relevant clips and the vehicle they leave in. After review, add the person to your alert list or share the report; being parked nearby alone does not establish a link.

Yes. Add a person from reviewed incident footage, or a vehicle, to your alert list; a possible return match alerts security with the earlier report so staff can check it and follow the agreed response.

Yes. Darkfield alerts your agreed contact with clips of possible theft, confrontation or other activity needing attention, then follows your response rules; the report can be shared with police or Community Protection Teams.

Darkfield checks unusual activity against normal work and deliveries, then gathers clips, people and vehicles into one timeline. Your team gets the event for review, and any response follows your site rules.

We move or add cameras with your team as compounds, routes and completed areas change, keeping alerts and records in your account. A blocked view needs a physical camera move to restore coverage.

Yes. Cameras can cover finished plots, show homes and access routes while building continues elsewhere, alerting your team to activity that needs review before damage or theft delays handover.

Around one camera per 50 homes is a starting point, not a fixed rule. Entrances, parking, junctions and problem areas determine the final coverage.

Compatible estate cameras can connect, and residents can add their own through the residents’ portal, alongside Darkfield’s main coverage. Supplied cameras include installation and care; reliable plate capture still needs a suitable specialised camera.

Agreed entrance approaches, foyers, mailbox areas, parking and outdoor shared spaces. These views help connect access events with people or vehicles without monitoring private living spaces.

Darkfield can alert your team to possible unwanted access or a reviewed alert-list match; arriving with a resident alone is not an incident. Cameras themselves do not control the door or replace locks, gates or a concierge.

Yes. Staff receive relevant clips of entrance or outdoor activity needing attention, and can ask Darkfield to find footage from a reported description; responses follow your agreed rules, and Darkfield is not an emergency service.

Entrance foyers, approaches, paths and outdoor gathering areas. We do not monitor internal communal rooms, corridors or private living spaces.

Darkfield can replace separate site-security alarm monitoring with camera-led checks, alerts and agreed patrol response. It needs no separate intruder alarm to start a check, but does not replace fire or other life-safety alarm services.

Yes. Activity at a fence, gate or loading bay can trigger a check and agreed patrol dispatch, with live updates; detection depends on camera coverage and cannot guarantee prevention.

Darkfield checks entrance and car-park activity, such as trying door handles, then alerts your team or dispatches a patrol under your rules. A new visitor is not automatically an intruder, and cameras themselves do not lock doors or gates.

Confirmed hours, deliveries and normal site activity give late visits context. An out-of-hours arrival alone does not mean someone is unauthorised.

Darkfield checks camera activity without a guard watching the feeds; your team sets the rules and can take over. Where mobile response is agreed, it can dispatch a patrol and provide live updates through to arrival.

Darkfield checks footage against confirmed site activity and the context you provide. Unclear permission is flagged with the evidence for a person to review.

Yes, where cameras cover the route. Darkfield can join the approach, entry, departure and relevant vehicle sightings into one timeline.

Yes. Review clips before and after the reported time alongside entrance and exit sightings to see the approach and surrounding activity.

A clear view of the delivery area helps show what happened. We check that view and the approach; a doorway camera may miss a handover.

No. Carrying a parcel is not evidence of theft; the footage needs the reported incident and available delivery details for context.

Yes, where cameras cover the place and time. Darkfield gathers clips and related observations for your authorised team to assess.

Darkfield considers time spent, location, behaviour and normal site activity. Waiting near an entrance alone is not treated as a threat.

Yes. Compare incident times, locations and activity to find patterns and decide whether to change coverage or response rules.

Yes, where footage captures the activity. Review the disposal alongside vehicle sightings; a van parked nearby is not evidence of involvement.

Cover the disposal area and vehicle approach and exit routes. We check lighting, obstructions and the angle needed to read plates.

Yes. Add the vehicle to your agreed alert rule after reviewing the incident; a return alert includes that context for your team to assess.

Yes, where cameras cover the route. Link the entrance sighting, activity beside a vehicle and departure in one timeline.