These days, security is top-of-mind for vehicle owners. The team at Firstech addressed this several years ago with their impressive Drone XC LTE-connected dash camera and vehicle convenience module. The product has recently been upgraded and is now known as the XC2. Let’s look at this unique security and vehicle control solution.
What is the Drone XC2?
The Drone XC2 is unlike any other product in the mobile enhancement industry. The XC2 includes a Drone vehicle telematics interface. This interface, on its own, provides basic security features such as glass breakage, motion, tilt and impact detection. The XC2 can also monitor the vehicle battery voltage. All of these warnings are pushed to the DroneMobile app on your smartphone in near real-time.
The Drone XC2 features GPS-based vehicle tracking. You can look up the vehicle’s location on the DroneMobile.com website or in the DroneMobile smartphone app. Impressively, the process takes only a few seconds, something that isn’t true of many factory-installed telematics systems. The system also supports geofence alerts that notify you when the vehicle enters or exits a preset location or area.
Dash Camera Features
The Drone XC2 is a 2K QHD dash camera that records everything that happens in front of your vehicle while you are driving. The system uses a Sony Starvis IMX335 image sensor, which is well-known and highly respected in the dash camera industry.
One of the more significant changes between the Drone XC and the Drone XC2 is that the latter now supports three video channels. The XC supported two video channels, allowing the built-in front camera to work with either an RC1 rear camera or IR1 infrared interior camera. The XC2 adds a third channel, so you can monitor the front, rear and interior of the vehicle simultaneously.
The Drone XC2 has several parking mode surveillance features. The camera can record when it detects motion or impact. The system can also be configured for time-lapse recording.
The XC2 comes with a 64GB microSD memory card. The system supports microSD cards up to 512GB to extend recording time. XC2 also comes with an OBD-II harness to simplify the integration process for your installer.
LTE-Connected Dash Camera
A feature that makes the Drone XC2 truly unique in the dash camera marketplace is its LTE connectivity. This means you can view the camera image on your smartphone from anywhere with an Internet connection. If the impact sensor is triggered, you can check the camera feed or stored footage to see what triggered it. You can even look at the cameras in real time using the Live View feature.
Firstech has also improved the XC2’s cloud-based functionality. When an impact or other qualifying event occurs, a compressed video preview is automatically uploaded to the cloud. The XC2’s improved compression allows it to upload considerably more video while using less cellular data. The increased compression makes the preview files much faster to download than those from the XC. If you need the full-resolution video, you can download it over LTE or the XC2’s local Wi-Fi connection.
The system includes a power-saving mode that helps prevent the XC2 from over-discharging the vehicle’s battery. When the battery voltage drops, the system disables GPS and Wi-Fi to conserve power.
Connected Dash Cameras for Fleet Vehicles
Internet-connected dash cameras are also becoming more popular in commercial fleets. The ability to access event video, vehicle location and security alerts remotely can save time compared with retrieving footage from a memory card. The Drone XC2 seems particularly well suited to small and midsize fleets using cars, pickups and vans. Its combination of video recording, GPS tracking, geofencing and vehicle security provides many useful fleet-management features without requiring a more complex commercial telematics platform.
Vehicle Integration Offers Convenience
The Drone XC2 isn’t only a connected dash camera. It can also connect compatible aftermarket remote starters and security systems to the DroneMobile app. This allows users to control supported functions such as door locking and unlocking, trunk release, auxiliary outputs and remote starting from their smartphone or DroneMobile.com. The auxiliary outputs can be used to control heated seats, rear window defroster, or sliding side doors. If you opt for a remote starter, then you can start the vehicle from your smartphone or the DroneMobile.com website. The latter is a key feature if you happen to lock your keys and phone in your car or truck. You’d be surprised at how often this happens.
Smartphone-connected services such as remote camera viewing, cloud uploading, geofence alerts and vehicle control require a subscription to a DroneMobile Dash Cam plan. Plans currently start at $15.99 USD per month. There are discounts if you pay annually or choose a three-year plan.
Protect Yourself and Your Vehicle
Whether you are worried about staged accidents and insurance fraud, someone damaging your vehicle in a parking lot or simply want to know what’s happening around your vehicle at all times, the Drone XC2 is for you. This is the industry’s only dash camera that integrates seamlessly with aftermarket remote starters and alarms. You can find an authorized Drone retailer using the Find a Dealer feature on the DroneMobile.com website. Visit a local specialty retailer to find out more.
Be sure to follow Drone on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay up to date with their latest products and technologies.
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