Software-Defined ALPR for the Axis Camera Ecosystem
The full Rekor Scout® engine runs in the cloud, not on the camera, which means every Axis camera in the fleet receives the same industry-leading license plate recognition, make/model/color/year (MMCY) vehicle identification, hotlist matching, alerting, and case management tools that dedicated Scout hardware deployments use. The Axis camera is a first-class sensor in the Scout ecosystem — not a limited side channel.
Recognition systems
Most license-plate recognition systems forceagencies into proprietary hardware: a single-vendor camera, apurpose-built appliance on the pole, and a locked ecosystem with noflexibility. Rekor Scout Axis Agent breaks that model entirely. It is asoftware agent that installs directly on standard Axis ARTPEC-8 andARTPEC-9 cameras, converting trusted, existing infrastructure intointelligent, cloud-connected ALPR sensors — with zero proprietaryhardware and zero rip-and-replace.
State-of-the-art recognition
Advanced vehicle recognition with plate, make, type, color, and direction of travel
Accurate in day/night and all weather conditions
Read paper, temporary, and vanity plates
Real-time alerting on vehicles of interest
Operate in nearly all conditions
Easily connects to Rekor Scout® software platform
Outdoor rated, IP67, NEMA4
Simple mounting to building or pole
Utilize cellular or ethernet communications
Fully NDAA and TAA compliant
Deploy Anywhere, on Cameras You Already Trust
- No proprietary hardware lock-in. The intelligence is software. Agencies keep their existing choice of camera vendor, mounting hardware, and system integrators instead of being forced into a single-purpose appliance. Rekor Scout Axis Agent works within the open Axis ecosystem — not against it.
- Broad support across Axis's modern lineup. The agent runs on cameras built on the Axis ARTPEC-8 and ARTPEC-9 chipsets, covering the full lineup of modelsreleased from 2021 (when Axis launched ARTPEC-8) through the latest ARTPEC-9 cameras introduced in 2024. Agencies can deploy on cameras they already own today or purchase new, confident in a long remaining service life.
- Pick the right camera for every scene. Because the software is hardware-agnostic across the entire supported lineup, agencies choose the specific Axis camera that best fits each deployment location:
- Long-range telephoto lens for highway corridor monitoring
- Wide field-of-view for busy intersections and toll plazas
- Rugged, weatherproof enclosure for exposed roadside poles
- Low-profile models for parking structures and private property
- Deploy where there is no power or network. A self-contained deployment package pairs a supported Axis camera with solar power and cellular connectivity, enabling a site to go live on a pole in the field with no trenching, no utility hookup, and no infrastructure buildout.
- Built for real-world network conditions. The camera buffers footage locally and automatically adapts its outbound video bitrate to ride out weak or congested cellular connectivity, resuming full upload when the link recovers. The system is engineered to keep working through the unreliable networks that roadside deployments actually encounter —not just ideal lab conditions.
SmarterOver Time, Simple to Run
- Cloud-based recognition — always full-strength. All license plate reading and vehicle identification processing happens in the Rekor cloud, not on the camera's edge processor. This architecture ensures every customer — regardless of which Axis camera model they own — always runs Rekor's best, most current recognition models. Accuracy improvements and model updates deploy automatically across the entire fleet with nothing to install, configure, or reboot in the field.
- The complete Scout engine — not a stripped-down edge version. Because recognition runs in the cloud, an Axis camera receives the full Scout feature set:
- License Plate Recognition (LPR): multi-region, multi-angle plate reads in real time
- Make, Model, Color & Year (MMCY): full vehicle attribute identification
- Hotlist matching and real-time alerting
- Historical search, read logs, and case management tools
- Scout back-office integration: reads, alerts, and data are native to the same system used by all other Scout cameras
- Efficient, modern video compression. The agent leverages H.265 (HEVC) and AV1 video codecs on current Axis hardware — the latest generation of compression standards. Agencies transmit and store the same quality footage using significantly less bandwidth and storage than legacy H.264 systems, directly reducing cellular data plan costs and cloud storage overhead without any sacrifice in image quality orevidentiary value.
- Managed with tools agencies already use. Software installation, configuration, and updates are handled through the standard Axis camera management tool chain agencies already rely on to manage their existing camera infrastructure. The agent updates itself automatically and stays current without requiring field technician visits.
- Secure by design — unidirectional dataflow. The camera transmits data outbound to Rekor only. No inbound connections are accepted. This clean, one-way security posture is purpose-built for the zero-trust requirements of public-safety technology buyers, simplifying network security reviews and firewall rule sets.
What It Takes to Field a Site
The Rekor Scout Axis Agent platform is engineered for minimal power draw, making solar-powered off-grid deployment practical at realistic cost. The following figures are approximate and vary with camera selection and site conditions.
- Extremely low power draw. A complete roadside ALPR site — camera, cellular gateway, networking, and power-over-ethernet — draws only approximately 12 to 15 watts under normal operating conditions. This is roughly equivalent to a pair of household LED bulbs, and is the characteristic that makes solar power economically viable for field deployments.
- Modest, site-matched solar kit. A solar panel in the range of 100–200 watts (sized to match the deployment location's available sunlight, latitude, shading, and seasonal variation) paired with a deep-cycle battery of approximately 38–96 Ah provides continuous 24/7 operation with 2+ days of cloudy-weather reserve capacity. The complete hardware package, excluding the pole, comes in under 100lbs.
Approximate
Hardware Cost Per Site
The following estimates exclude pole and installation labor. The Axis camera selected is the primary cost variable.
Component
Approx.Cost
Edge hardware (camera, enclosure, mount, cellular gateway, networking)
~$1,100– $1,200
Communications gear (cellular gateway + PoE)
~$400(+ cellular plan)
Solar power kit (panel, mount, batteries)
~$1,100– $1,300
Total all-in (self-powered, cellular-connected site)
~$2,300– $2,500
For approximately $2,300–$2,500 in hardware, an agency can stand up a fully solar-powered, cellular-connected ALPR site anywhere — no trenching, no power drop, no proprietary camera,and no infrastructure contractor required.
Typical
Deployment Scenarios
Highway corridor
Long-range Axis telephoto + solar kit; monitors high-speed traffic at distance with no power infrastructure
Busy intersection
Wide-FOV Axis camera on existing pole infrastructure; leverages existing power where available
Roadside/ rural
Self-contained solar + cellular package; live within hours, no utility or trenching
Parking structure
Low-profile Axis model on existing network; managed via same Axis tool chain as perimeter cameras
Campus perimeter
Mix offixed and pole-mounted cameras across a shared Scout deployment; single back-office view
Technical Specifications
Supported chipsets
Axis ARTPEC-8, Axis ARTPEC-9
Camera generation
Axis models released 2021–present
Recognition engine
RekorScout® (cloud-based; full-strength)
LPR capability
Multi-region, multi-angle; real-time
Vehicle attributes
Make, Model, Color, Year (MMCY)
Video codecs
H.265(HEVC), AV1
Power consumption
~12–15W (complete site)
Solar panel (typical)
100–200W (site-dependent sizing)
Battery capacity (typical)
38–96Ah deep-cycle
Connectivity
Cellular(LTE); local buffering with adaptive bitrate
Security model
Unidirectional — outbound to Rekor only; no inbound connections
Management toolchain
Standard Axis camera management software
Back-office integration
RekorScout® (native; first-class sensor)
Software updates
Automatic; no field intervention required
Pricing
Rekor Scout Axis Agent is licensed on a per-camera, per-year basis.
Multi-year terms offer significant savings over annual renewal.
Get in touch with our sales team