AI TrailCam - Device User Guide

AI TrailCam - Device User Guide

Audience: Field techs, project leads, advanced users
Applies to: Yarn Mesh AI TrailCam (Yarn Mesh + Bluetooth, 940 nm IR + white LEDs)
Last updated: 09/09/2025

1) Overview

The Yarn Mesh AI TrailCam is a solar/battery-powered camera for remote detection and monitoring. It delivers near real-time images over the Yarn Mesh IPv6 wireless network and integrates with IMS (and Faarm, if enabled) for storage, visualisation, analytics, alerts and reporting.
AI auto-classification begins rolling out from Q3 2025. Until then, images appear in IMS for review and manual classification.

2) What’s in the box

• AI TrailCam (with internal battery tray)

• Antenna (2.4 GHz)

• Solar charger/battery unit (external)

• Mounting bracket + belt/fasteners

• USB-C cable

• QR Code on box (Links to Knowledge Base for AI TrailCam)

3) Safety & handling

• Use quality button-top 18650 Li-ion cells in the camera (see specs below).

• Keep lens/IR window clean; do not spray high-pressure water.

• Observe local RF and wildlife rules.

• Disconnect power before servicing cabling.

4) Hardware tour

Front/inner/bottom views include the following controls and ports:

NOTE: All data transfer communications occur via Yarn Mesh; Bluetooth is used for device commissioning.

5) Power & batteries

• Internal: 5×18650 Li-ion (button-top).

• External solar pack: Adds capacity and charges both packs (recommended for continuous field use).

• Charging: USB-C 5 V/2 A or DC 6 V/2 A (optional).

• Best practice: Ensure ≥4 hours of winter sun; route cables drip-loop downwards; check IMS battery trends weekly after install.

6) SD card (storage)

• Supports SD/SDHC up to 32 GB (no internal storage).

• Insert/Remove only with power OFF.

• Use Class 10 / UHS-I cards; format in-camera if errors occur.

• Local storage auto-rotates (≈30,000 high-res images before overwrite).

7) Wireless communications

• Mesh: IEEE 802.15.4 at 2.4 GHz ISM; Yarn Mesh IPv6 self-healing network.

• Commissioning: Bluetooth (via Yarn Commissioner app).

• Backhaul: Gateway relays data to the cloud; default LTE backhaul included in Gateway subscription.

8) Camera modes (power switch)

• OFF: Powers down (tiny standby draw remains). Remove batteries for long storage.

• SETUP: Configure settings, playback, and run local tests on LCD.

• ON: Active surveillance; triggers per configured mode.

TIP: After switching to ON, the red LED blinks for ~10 s—use this time to exit the scene.

9) Capturing & managing images

Manual capture: SETUP ➜ press SHOT to take photo/start video; press SHOT again to stop video.
Playback/delete: SETUP ➜ **

10) LCD Menu Reference

How to access:
Set the power switch to SETUP, then press MENU.
Navigate: ▲/▼ to move, ◄/► to change values, OK to save.

Important: If you change a setting, press OK to save. Otherwise the previous value remains.

Menu Settings

Language

• What it does: Sets the on-device menu language.

• Options: English, Suomi, Deutsch, Svenska, Dansk, Norsk, Czech, Russian, Italian, French.

• Factory default: English.

• Tip: Changing language does not affect IMS.

Set Clock

• What it does: Sets the trail camera’s internal date/time. 

• Format: MM/DD/YYYY and HH:MM:SS (24-hour). Valid years: 2023–2050.

• Why it matters: Timestamps on local media and some diagnostics. IMS uses server time on ingest.

• Tip: The clock is set automatically by NTP from Yarn Mesh. There is no need to change the date/time on the device as once connected to Yarn Mesh the date/time will be set automatically. 

Photo Quality

• What it does: Sets the mesh-sent image size/quality (local high-res stills are stored regardless).

• Options: Low / Medium / High (mesh-transfer).

• Factory default: Low (optimised for fast transfer and battery life).

• Recommended: Use Low or Medium for most sites. Use High only where RF is strong and solar is abundant.

PIR Trigger / Sensitivity

• What it does: Sets motion sensitivity for the PIR detector.

• Options: High / Normal / Low / OFF.

• Factory default: Normal.

• Guidance:

  • High: cooler or humid environments with less background movement.

  • Low: hot sites or locations with moving vegetation.

  • Sensitivity decreases in higher ambient temperatures.

PIR Interval

• What it does: “Quiet time” after each trigger—camera ignores further motion until the interval ends.

• Range: 0 seconds → 1 hour.

• Factory default: 10 seconds.

• Tip: Increase to reduce duplicate images when subjects linger.

Flash Type

• What it does: Chooses illumination at night.

• Options: White LED (colour) or 940 nm IR (black & white).

• Factory default: Black & White (940 nm IR).

• Guidance:

  • IR (B&W): Lower power use, less visible to wildlife.

  • White LED: Colour images at night with higher power draw and more visible light.

• Tip: Leave set to IR as White LED light (extremely bright) will likely scare aware any animal in the frame. IR provides a better opportunity to capture more than one image of a subject. 

Beep Sound

• What it does: Enables/disables key-press tones.

• Factory default: Off.

• Tip: Leave set Off for wildlife-sensitive areas.

Format SD

• What it does: Erases and reformats the SD/SDHC card.

• Warning: All images on the card will be deleted. Back up first.

• When to use: Card errors, slow access, or after moving cards between devices.

Default Set

• What it does: Restores factory defaults for all menu options.

• Use with care: You’ll need to re-apply any site-specific settings.

Version

• What it shows: Firmware version and device identifier 

• Tip: Full firmware details are visible in IMS under Stat Browser > Yarn Mesh Device Firmware Version Stats