A license-plate recognition camera system, on cameras you already own.
Most operations teams don't need a dedicated LPR appliance. They need plate reads on the cameras already pointed at the gate. Gobi runs license-plate recognition (LPR) as part of its standard pipeline on any RTSP camera with a reasonable angle and lighting on the chokepoint.
Takes 2–3 minutes · No credit card required
- Works with existing RTSP cameras
- Flat pricing — no per-camera fees
- Setup typically under 1 hour
Used by: construction sites, municipalities, farms, and multi-site operations.
How LPR actually works on a Gobi node
Frames containing motion in the configured zone are pushed through the recognizer. Detected plates are written to the same event log as motion and AI events. Each read includes timestamp, camera, snapshot, plate text and a confidence score.
What you can do with the plate stream
- Search by plate or partial plate across all sites
- Filter the event log for any vehicle on the property in a window
- Trigger automations on a known plate (open gate, ping ops)
- Generate a daily report of unique vehicles per site
Where teams deploy it
Common at oil & gas lease-road gates, construction entry points, parking lots, weighbridges, depots and curbside delivery zones.
Plate camera setup tips
- Aim for 60–80 pixels of plate height in frame
- Use a fixed camera, not PTZ, on the chokepoint
- Add IR or low-light support if night reads matter
- Mount slightly above and angled toward the lane
How it compares to dedicated LPR appliances
| Gobi | Traditional NVR | Per-camera SaaS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat per node | One-time hardware + storage | Per camera, monthly |
| Searchable AI events | ✓ | — | limited |
| Daily timelapse | ✓ | — | add-on |
| License-plate recognition | ✓ | — | extra cost |
| Public webcam / RTMP push | ✓ | — | — |
| Sensor + automation layer | Node-RED + MQTT | — | — |
| Lock-in | Hardware-agnostic RTSP | Brand-specific NVR | Vendor cameras |
| Setup time | ~1 hour | Days | Hours per camera |
The five things people ask first.
Will this work with my cameras?
If they expose RTSP on the local network — yes, almost always. Run the compatibility check.
Do I need IT to install it?
No. One small node, plugged into power and the network. Outbound-only — no port forwarding, no VPN, no static IPs.
Is it expensive?
Flat per node, not per camera. Most single-site deployments land between $49 and $199/month. See pricing.
What happens to my data?
You own it. Cameras stay private by default. Data lives in your tenant. Export anytime. Privacy & security overview.
How long does setup take?
A typical single-site deployment is under one hour from node power-on to live dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special LPR camera?
No. Most reasonable-quality fixed cameras pointed at a gate work. Lighting and angle matter more than brand.
Can a recognized plate open the gate?
Yes — on the Automate tier, a recognized plate can trigger a Node-RED/MQTT flow that drives a relay or HTTP call.
How accurate is it?
On a well-aimed camera in normal lighting, accuracy is typically 92–98% on full plates. Bad angle or motion blur drops it fast.
Does Gobi work with my existing cameras?
Yes. If your cameras stream RTSP (most IP cameras and NVRs do), Gobi can usually pull them in without replacing hardware.
Is Gobi priced per camera?
No. Gobi uses flat per-node pricing. You can grow your camera footprint without growing the bill.
How fast do AI events appear?
AI motion events typically appear in the searchable log within 5–12 seconds of being captured.
Do I need port forwarding or special IT setup?
No. The Gobi node creates an outbound connection to the cloud. No inbound ports, no VPN, no static IPs required.
How long does setup take?
A typical single-site deployment is under one hour once the node has internet and the cameras are reachable on the local network.