AUSTIN, Texas—Global cloud video surveillance company Eagle Eye Networks has introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure.
At a press conference held at the Capital Factory, leaders from St. Thomas University in Houston, Valor School in Austin, St. Julian Episcopal Church in Austin, the Capital Factory, law enforcement and security technology experts shared why they are adopting the technology.
Eagle Eye Gun Detection, schools and businesses “can transform their existing security cameras from a passive recording device into a proactive gun detection system, a vital tool for prevention and protection,” according to the company announcement.
“We’re on a mission to change how security cameras are used,” Eagle Eye Networks founder and CEO Dean Drako said during the press conference announcing Eagle Eye Gun Detection’s launch. “This is a proactive solution to respond to a problem in real time. In an active shooter situation, every second counts.”
Eagle Eye Gun Detection is the result of about three years of research and development, he said.
“This is a technology we think is going to make our communities safer,” said Drako.
How Does Eagle Eye Gun Detection Work?
Eagle Eye Gun Detection analyzes video streams with artificial intelligence to detect brandished guns. Combined with Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing, the 911 center also gains secure access, enabling 911 operators can give first responders vital information about what is happening at the scene of an emergency.
Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States, surpassing car accidents and other causes in recent years, according to recent CDC data In 2024, there were 503 mass shootings in the U.S. More than 3,700 children and teens under 18 were injured and 1,403 died.
Meanwhile, the annual economic impact of gun violence in the U.S. is estimated at $557 billion, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Eagle Eye Gun Detection features a triple-layer verification system that uses two levels of AI and one level of human verification. Eagle Eye’s triple-layer verification consists of:
- Rapid Edge AI: Video from security cameras is continuously analyzed for potential brandished guns by the Eagle Eye AI Bridge on location at the school or business. An AI model appropriately sized for widespread edge deployment is utilized.
- Advanced Cloud AI: When a potential gun is detected, the appropriate video is instantly transmitted to the Eagle Eye Cloud for analysis by a very large-scale Eagle Eye AI model. The use of a very large model in the cloud provides accuracy and reduces false positives.
- Eagle Eye Human Review Service: When the Advanced Cloud AI detects an
actual gun, the Eagle Eye Human Review Service, staffed with trained
professionals, verifies that a gun is present. The customer’s emergency response
sequence and notifications are then executed. The response typically includes
SMS messages, phone calls, and emails to key security or company personnel,
law enforcement, response service, key executives, and emergency responders.
Additional benefits of the Eagle Eye Gun Detection system include:
- The Eagle Eye Cloud VMS (video management system) features integrated gun detection.
- As part of the Eagle Eye Cloud VMS, an open platform, Eagle Eye Gun Detection customers can add additional AI features and integrate with an unlimited number of third-party technology providers.
- Eagle Eye Gun Detection works in conjunction with Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing to give 911 operators access to live and recorded video feeds from security cameras near the scene of an emergency, dramatically improving situational awareness for first responders and response time.
ProTecVideo in Mobile, Ala., ran Eagle Eye Gun Detection through its paces for several months ahead of the official launch, says owner John Murphy.
“When I hear about what this can do, I know we had a part in that,” he said during the press conference.
Most of ProTecVideo’s clients are in the law enforcement and commercial/industrial vertical markets across Alabama and neighboring states, Murphy told SSI in an exclusive interview after the press conference. He also plans to approach local schools, colleges and medical facilities about incorporating Eagle Eye Gun Detection into its operations.
“This is hopefully something you never have to use, but it’s something you’d love to have if you do need it,” said Murphy.
