The City of Frankston, a coastal municipality in Victoria, faces frequent water accumulation on key roadways, particularly in low-lying areas prone to heavy rainfall and poor drainage. One high-risk location includes a council-owned car park next to a roadway that regularly experiences water across its surface, creating hazards for vehicles and pedestrians.

To enhance public safety and automate response actions, the City of Frankston deployed Xvision FLOODGUARD™, an AI-powered water detection system. Using real-time monitoring, automated response mechanisms, and LoRaWAN communication, FLOODGUARD™ ensures that vehicles and pedestrians are protected by automatically closing and reopening the car park’s roller door when water is detected across the road.

The Solution: Automated Water Detection & Car Park Protection

The City of Frankston implemented FLOODGUARD™ to:

✅ Monitor a roadway prone to water pooling in real time – AI-powered system continuously scan the roadway for water accumulation.

✅ Trigger automatic safety actions – When water is detected on the road, the system sends a signal via LoRaWAN to the council-owned car park, closing the roller door to prevent vehicles from exiting into hazardous conditions.

✅ Reopen the car park when conditions are safe – Once the water drains or evaporates, FLOODGUARD™ automatically reopens the roller door, restoring normal traffic flow.

✅ Enable manual control by council staff – The council retains full manual control over the roller door, allowing for emergency overrides when necessary.

✅ Provide real-time data & reporting – The customized FLOODGUARD™ dashboard tracks the number of water detection events, logs roller door activations, and reports the real-time status of all connected components.

How It Works

1️⃣ AI-Powered Water Detection – FLOODGUARD™ monitors the roadway 24/7, detecting water accumulation on the road surface.

2️⃣ LoRaWAN Communication for Long-Range, Reliable Connectivity – The sensor detecting water is located approximately 500 meters from the roller door. LoRaWAN was chosen because of its long-distance, low-power communication capabilities, allowing FLOODGUARD™ to maintain a secure and efficient closed-loop system without reliance on traditional network infrastructure.

3️⃣ Integrated Safety Mechanisms – The system is engineered to work with fire safety systems to ensure compliance with emergency protocols.

4️⃣ Automated & Manual Operation – While FLOODGUARD™ automatically manages roller door activations, council staff can manually override the system if required.

5️⃣ Real-Time Monitoring & Historical Reporting – The council dashboard displays live water detection status, system activations, and historical event data, helping the City of Frankston analyze trends and improve road safety measures.

The Challenges & How They Were Overcome

Integration with Existing Infrastructure – Ensuring the FLOODGUARD™ system worked with the existing roller door mechanism and fire safety systems required careful engineering and software adjustments. A custom interface was developed to ensure smooth operation while maintaining compliance with safety regulations.

Reliable Long-Distance Communication – With the water detection sensor located 500 meters from the roller door, a traditional wired solution was impractical. LoRaWAN was selected for its ability to transmit signals over long distances while consuming minimal power, ensuring seamless operation within a closed-loop system.

Balancing Automation & Manual Control – The system was designed to automate response actions while allowing council staff to manually override the roller door if needed, giving local authorities full flexibility in managing the situation.

The Impact: Smarter, Safer Roadway & Car Park Management

Since deploying Xvision FLOODGUARD™, the City of Frankston has achieved:

Enhanced Public Safety – The automatic roller door closure ensures that vehicles and pedestrians are not exposed to dangerous water-covered roads.

⏳ Faster Response Times – Water accumulation is detected instantly, and safety actions are executed without human intervention.

Data-Driven Decision Making – The council’s event reporting system helps track incidents over time, supporting long-term road maintenance and safety strategies.

Seamless Smart City Integration – FLOODGUARD™ contributes to Frankston’s broader smart city initiatives, improving automated road safety and emergency planning.

Conclusion

With Xvision FLOODGUARD™, the City of Frankston has modernized its approach to roadway and car park safety, using AI-powered monitoring, automated roller door control, and LoRaWAN connectivity to enhance safety, efficiency, and resilience. The long-range communication capabilities of LoRaWAN ensure a secure and efficient connection between the water detection sensor and the roller door 500 meters away, providing a reliable, real-time response system.

This innovative approach sets a new benchmark for roadway safety management, demonstrating how technology-driven automation can protect infrastructure, vehicles, and lives.

Want to see how Xvision FLOODGUARD™ can improve water monitoring and road safety in your city? Contact us today!