Document Purpose

This guide standardizes the pre-installation site survey process for Milesight TS5511-GH TrafficX Series traffic camera. It defines the survey workflow, key inspection criteria, and technical benchmarks across road conditions, mounting structures, lighting environments, and traffic patterns — ensuring that every deployment is optimally planned for stable ANPR performance, reliable vehicle detection, and long-term operational integrity.

1  Road & Lane Conditions

1.1  Survey Requirements Summary

Record the following data points during the site visit. Any condition outside the recommended values constitutes a non-standard scenario and requires pre-sales engineering review before deployment.

1.2  Supplementary Notes

Figure 1-1 & 1-2  |  Representative installation environments

Fig. 1-1  Urban Arterial Road — ideal scene

Fig. 1-2  Highway — ideal scene

Figure 1-3 & 1-4  |  Lane curvature — acceptable vs. unacceptable

Fig. 1-3  Acceptable — slight curve, road straight within FOV

Fig. 1-4  Unacceptable — pronounced curve within FOV

2  Mounting Structure & Installation Parameters

2.1  Mounting Structure Requirements

Select and evaluate the mounting structure before finalizing the installation point. Structures are listed below in order of preference.

1st — Overhead Gantry (Recommended)

Provides the most stable platform and ideal overhead angle for multi-lane coverage. Preferred for all new deployments.

2nd — Outrigger / Cantilever Arm

Acceptable where the above options cannot be installed; requires engineering sign-off on structural loads.

Fig. 2-1  Overhead gantry installation — recommended configuration

Structural & Electrical Checklist

Before finalizing any mounting structure, verify the following:

Structural

• Rated load capacity exceeds total equipment weight (camera + enclosure + cabling)

• Cantilever length and extension angle are compatible with camera installation requirements

• Crossbeam, pole, or arm height falls within the permitted installation height range

• Wind load rating matches local environmental conditions and device frontal area

• Structural rigidity prevents high-frequency micro-vibration that would cause plate blur

Mounting Interface

• Cross-section dimensions of the beam or pole are compatible with the camera bracket

• Sufficient space available for the equipment enclosure

Power & Cabling

• Camera power supply: 24 V DC/AC

• Total power budget meets all device requirements (TS5511-GH: max 26 W)

• Sufficient conduit bore and cable tray space for routing

Environmental Protection

• All cable entries and enclosure penetrations are fully weatherproofed

• Drainage paths prevent liquid ingress into the device

Network

• Stable network connection available; fiber optic recommended

Surge & Lightning Protection

• Reliable earth grounding in place (surge protection module recommended)

• Surge protective device (SPD) installed to safely dissipate lightning and switching transients

2.2  Core Geometric Parameters

The parameters below define the physical geometry of the camera installation. Deviating from the recommended values without engineering review may result in reduced capture rate, plate blur, or missed detections.

License Plate Pixel Height Verification

After provisional camera positioning, verify the plate pixel height using the following procedure:

1. Download and export a full-resolution vehicle capture image from the camera.

2. Open the image in Windows Paint (or equivalent raster editor).

3. Use the rectangle selection tool to draw a bounding box tightly around the license plate in the image.

4. Read the pixel dimensions of the selection box displayed in the status bar (bottom-left of the Paint window).

5. Confirm that the plate height value meets or exceeds 20 px; 32 px or above is the recommended target.

Fig. 2-2  Windows Paint selection showing plate pixel height in status bar

2.3 Installation and adjustment for traffic enforcement scenarios:

Since the system must simultaneously monitor traffic signal status and capture/recognize license plates, it is necessary to power on the unit after installation to check the image view and fine-tune the installation based on the following points:

Avoid leaving too much empty space at the top of the frame

In the overview view, position the traffic lights near the top—leaving a small gap rather than placing them flush against the edge—to prevent overexposure caused by the sky. Additionally, prioritize larger light clusters to minimize the risk of obstruction.

Fig. 2-3 Too much empty space at the top of the frame

Ensure the distance

Ensure the distance from the bottom of the frame to the stop line is at least 1.5 vehicle lengths, occupying one-third to one-half of the frame, to avoid the distance being too short.

Fig. 2-4 Avoid the distance being too short

Select an appropriate installation height

Select an appropriate installation height to prevent the license plate from being obscured by a vehicle behind or by a large vehicle.

Fig. 2-5 Installation heigh too low

Fig. 2-6 Obscured by a large vehicle

Add trigger lines for left and right turns

If you need to add trigger lines for left and right turns, ensure that the overview screen displays the corresponding left- and right-turn roads so that the lines can be drawn correctly, thereby avoiding the situation shown in the fig. 2-6 .

Fig. 2-6 

2.4 Camera field of view (overview) after standard installation

Fig. 2-7 Standard installation

Fig. 2-8 Standard installation

3  Lighting & Environmental Conditions

3.1  Survey Requirements Summary

3.2  Supplementary Notes

Fig. 3-1 Tinted traffic lights to appear excessively bright

Fig. 3-2  Illuminated billboard causing lens flare / ghosting at night

4  Traffic Behavior & Target Characteristics

The following traffic patterns and vehicle mix characteristics can negatively impact system performance. Document each condition during the site survey and assess the deployment suitability accordingly.

Frequent Lane Changes

In scenes with heavy lane-weaving (e.g., merge zones, diverge points), a vehicle crossing multiple detection zones may be captured and pushed more than once, compromising enforcement data accuracy. Avoid deployments at lane-merge entry points or heavily congested weaving sections.

High Proportion of Motorcycles or Tricycles

License plate recognition accuracy decreases significantly when motorcycles and three-wheelers constitute a large proportion of the traffic mix, due to non-standard plate positions and sizes. Ideally, these vehicle types should be fully excluded from detection zones; where unavoidable, contact the pre-sales team.

Large Vehicles Preceding Small Vehicles

A small vehicle traveling closely behind a large truck or bus is at high risk of missed detection and speed measurement error (radar models) due to occlusion. Deploy cameras at road segments where large-vehicle density is low and traffic flow is orderly.

High-Frequency Stop-and-Go Traffic

Locations such as airport terminals, train stations, and bus terminals experience dense, stop-and-go traffic where leading vehicles can obscure trailing license plates. Avoid deploying at these ingress/egress points.

5  Non-Standard Scenarios

The criteria described in this guide define standard deployment conditions. If any single parameter falls outside the specified range, or if multiple borderline conditions co-exist, the site must be classified as a non-standard scenario.

For non-standard scenarios, do not proceed with installation planning until the Milesight pre-sales engineering team has performed a dedicated technical assessment. The assessment will determine whether the site is feasible, what compensating measures are required, and whether any performance trade-offs need to be accepted and documented.

Contact:  Milesight Pre-Sales Engineering  |  www.milesight.com

6  Reference Documents

• Milesight TrafficX Series Quick Start Guide

• Milesight TrafficX Series User Manual

• Milesight Intelligent Traffic Cameras Installation Guide-TrafficX Series

• Milesight LPR Supported Region List