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AI TrailCam - Quick Start Guide

All about your Yarn Mesh AI TrailCam hardware

Audience: Installers, field techs, project leads
Time to install: ~15–30 minutes per unit (once network is in place)
Prerequisites: Active Yarn Mesh network (Gateway online; Relays as planned/designed) • IMS access

Safety
Use only Yarn Mesh supplied button‑top 18650 Li‑ion cells. Keep lens/IR window clean. Power off camera before changing SD card, batteries or connecting solar panel.

1) Before You Begin (Checklist)

□ Yarn Mesh network available at the site (Gateway online; Relays placed as per RF plan/required)

□ IMS login and project/site created.

□ Power: Solar unit + cabling ready; unobstructed sun (aim for ≥4 hours winter sun)

□ Batteries: 5× button‑top 18650 Li‑ion cells for the camera. 8× button‑top 18650 Li‑ion cells for the solar charger. 

□ SD card installed: SD/SDHC up to 32 GB, unlocked, Class 10/UHS‑I (supplied with camera)

□ Tools: Mounting bracket (supplied), fasteners, drill, cable ties

Tip: Perfect installation with one camera per location to validate coverage/solar, confirm correct installation with the Yarn Commissioner app and IMS or Faarm, then scale the deployment of devices in the field. 

2) What’s in the Box

AI TrailCam

  • AI TrailCam (with internal battery tray)

  • Antenna (2.4 GHz)

  • Mounting bracket for tree/post installation (with securing wing-nut fastener)

  • Mounting belt

  • USB‑C cable

  • Quick Start Guide QR code on packaging

Yarn Mesh AI TrailCam - What's in the box

 

Solar Charger

  • Solar charger/battery unit

  • 2 x charging cables (barrel jacks each end)

  • Mounting bracket for tree/post installation (with 2x securing wing-nut fastening bolts)

  • Mounting belt

  • Quick Start Guide QR code on packaging

Batteries

  • 5 x button‑top 18650 Li‑ion cells for AI TrailCam (packaged separately)

  • 8 x button‑top 18650 Li‑ion cells for Solar Charger (packaged separately)

3) Assemble & Power

  1. Check SD card installed (power OFF TrailCam first), if SD card is not installed, install in SD card slot.

  2. Install batteries (5× button‑top 18650) into the camera battery tray and (8× button‑top 18650) into the solar charger battery tray.

  3. Attach antenna hand‑tight but firm. Ensure rubber antenna seal on camera is compressed, this is necessary to keep camera watertight. 

  4. Connect Solar Charger to the camera using the correct barrel jack cable and secure cables with a drip‑loop. 

Note: Batteries are supplied discharged power state for safe shipping. It is necessary to pre-charge batteries before deploying the TrailCam and/or Solar Charger. Bench‑charge batteries via USB‑C 5V/2A or DC 6V/2A if needed.

4) Mounting & Site Placement

  • Location: It is best to test different installation locations using the Yarn Commissioner before mounting the camera. Confirm installation location is suitable for RF using the Yarn Commissioner app. See Yarn Commissioner instructions. 

  • Height: 1.2–1.8 m;

  • Range: aim across the expected path at 2–10 m range. Closer placement to the target area/stage is better for consistent AI species identification. 

  • Solar: Face solar panel North (Southern Hemisphere), tilt ≈ local latitude (use steeper tilt for winter), avoid shade. Use 3rd party AR mobile app such as Sunseeker 3D to optimise placement (solar gain) for mid-winter. 

  • Stability: Tighten brackets, manage cables, keep IR window/lens clear.

    Once a suitable location has been found and preliminary connectivity and solar tests have been performed 

    1. Install TrailCam Mounting Bracket: Screw TrailCam mounting bracket (preferred method) in to tree or post. Pre-drill hole in tree or post first using a 4mm drill bit if necessary. Alternatively the mounting strap can be used to secure the TrailCam to a tree or post, however this method provides less standoff for the antenna, which will have an adverse impact to obtaining good Yarn Mesh signal/connectivity.

    2. Mount TrailCam: Mount TrailCam to mounting bracket by threading on to mounting bracket after the bracket is installed. Rotate the camera clockwise onto the threaded mountain bracket until it bottoms out, rotate the camera up to half-a-turn anti-clockwise until the lens is facing in the desired direction. Secure in place to prevent unwanted rotation by using the wing-nut on the mounting bracket as a lock nut, secure this tightly against the base of the camera. 

    3. Install Solar Charger Mounting Bracket: Screw the Solar Charger mounting bracket in to Northern side of the same tree or post as the TrailCam. Ensure the bracket is positioned +/- 10deg of due North. Ensure threaded part of the bracket is installed horizontal (90deg) to the tree or post. 

    4. Mount Solar Charger: Mount the Solar Charger panel hooking the mounting bar on the back of the unit in to the receptacle hole on the mounting bracket. Secure the panel to the bracket using the 2 x supplied wing-nut bolts. Secure the panel further by threading the mounting strap through the eyelets on the back of the panel connected the strap back on itself in a loop. 

    5. Connect Charging Cable: Plug one end of the charging cable (cable with the two equal sized barrel jack plugs) in to the 'Power-Out 6V' port on the back of the panel. Plug the other end in to the '6V' power-in port on the TrailCam. 

    6. Fold Out Solar Panel: Open the two solar panel flaps and secure open top and bottom using the hinged stainless-steel panel latches (2 per side, 4 total). Make sure these latches are properly clipped open as these prevent the panel closing in the wind.  

Warning: Do not obstruct the IR/white LED array or lens. Ensure camera and solar panel are well clear of any surrounding branches both from an obstruction and a weather damage perspective. 

5) Power On & Commission (Bluetooth)

  1. Set power switch to SETUP; wait for LCD.

  2. Apply/confirm default profile (factory defaults are pre‑set for Yarn Mesh—do not change wireless settings unless instructed).

  3. Open the Yarn Commissioner app (iOS/Android). For detailed Yarn Commissioner instructions click here: https://knowledge.yarnmesh.ai/commissioner/quick-start-guide. 

  4. Scan to Pair via Bluetooth; select TrailCam and press Connect. Confirm you are paired with the correct TrailCam, the simplest option is to only power-on one TrailCam at a time.

  5. Verify the Yarn Commissioner tests are all Green status, meaning tests passed. If any test categories are Yellow or Red you can click on them for more details. Resolve issue as necessary until all tests pass with a Green status. If tests fails on connectivity, mesh paths or Gateway, it may be necessary to find a better location to deploy the device. 

  6. Name Device, enter a unique name for the device, this will be the name that appears in IMS. Click the  Commission button to save. 

  7. Save and exit from LCD menu on TrailCam.

If RSSI is weak: Try rotating camera around tree, move/raise the camera, adjust antenna orientation, or add a Relay per the RF plan.

6) Register in IMS or Faarm

  1. By naming the device in the Yarn Commissioner app the device should be automatically registered in IMS, it can take up to 15 minutes for the newly registered device to appear in IMS or Faarm.

  2. Once the new TrailCam is visible in IMS, navigate to Stat Browser > Yarn Camera Image Data and filter by Asset Name of the new TrailCam. Validate that you can see the test image/s from the camera. 

  3. Set alert rules (battery, connectivity, image received), and management‑by‑exception notifications.

  4. Optional: Add to dashboards and enable auto‑reporting.

7) Test Capture & Verify Delivery

  1. With switch still on SETUP, press SHOT to take a test photo.

  2. Switch to ON; the red LED blinks ~10 s—exit the scene.

  3. Confirm the image appears in IMS (near real‑time; seconds–minutes depending on hop count/RF).

  4. Check telemetry (battery %, link metrics), and that alerts/reporting are active.

  5. Close the camera and secure shut.

Note: Camera is not watertight until camera LCD screen is closed against battery compartment and clamped shut. TrailCam can be secured shut with a small padlock (customer supplied). 

AI note: Auto‑classification rolls out from Q3 2025. Until then, review and manually classify in IMS; AI models update OTA as they’re released.

8) Recommended Settings (Leave Defaults Unless Advised)

  • Photo Quality (Yarn Mesh image transfer size): Low/Med for speed and battery life

  • PIR Sensitivity: Normal (use High in cool/quiet sites; Low in hot/windy sites)

  • PIR Interval: 10s (increase to reduce duplicates)

  • Flash Type: IR 940 nm (B&W, less visible, lower power)

  • Beep: Off for wildlife‑sensitive areas

9) Common Issues & Quick Fixes

  • No images in IMS → Check power, SD inserted, Yarn Mesh link (RSSI/hops), Gateway backhaul (LTE), IMS registration.

  • Low battery → Check voltage using Yarn Commissioner app, clear anything casting shade on solar panel, re‑aim/tilt panel, check solar power cable, review IMS solar/battery trend, move to sunnier location if necessary. 

  • Frequent false triggers → Lower PIR sensitivity, increase PIR interval, trim vegetation, re‑aim.

  • Slow deliveries → Reduce mesh image quality, improve RF (height/position/relay), confirm backhaul signal.

10) Support & Contacts

 

Version history

  • v1 – Initial field edition quick start (created for HubSpot KB).