Guide · Updated October 2026

Video smoke detection on existing CCTV

Video smoke detection uses AI to watch the CCTV cameras you already have for visible smoke and flame, then sends an alert with the video clip in seconds. It works with most ONVIF and RTSP cameras and recorders, so there is usually nothing new to buy, and it supplements, rather than replaces, your certified fire alarm.

Check my cameras How it sees smoke
Real detection footage
Real Woodcock AI detections recorded on CCTV cameras. Clips are muted.
Short answer

A low-cost way to add smoke and fire alerts to Hikvision cameras in the UK

For many UK sites, the lowest-cost route is usually software on the cameras you already have, rather than new hardware. Woodcock AI connects to Hikvision cameras and NVRs over ONVIF or RTSP, using the device login, and is charged per camera, per month. There are no new cameras to buy, and you only add detection to the cameras that watch a fire risk.

  • No new cameras: works with the Hikvision, Dahua and other ONVIF or RTSP kit installers fit every day
  • Per camera, per month: pick only the views that cover a risk
  • Keep your NVR, use a Woodcock virtual NVR, or run without one
  • 30-day trial on selected cameras, with no obligation to continue

Alternatives exist: on-camera analytics, such as Hikvision HEOP apps, and thermal cameras can also detect fire, but they usually need new or specific camera hardware. Software that runs on the cameras you already have avoids that. On Hikvision NVRs, RTSP or ONVIF must be enabled before the recorder can be connected.

Interactive explainer

How the AI sees smoke, from frame to alert

Tap each stage to see what happens between a camera picking up smoke and your phone buzzing.

Compatibility checker

Will it work with my cameras and NVR?

Answer three quick questions. The result is a guide based on what Woodcock AI supports; the free site assessment confirms it for your site.

Supported: ONVIF or RTSP cameras and recorders, including NVRs and legacy DVRs, from 360p to 8K, with H.264, H.264+ or H.265 streams.

Does your camera or recorder support ONVIF or RTSP?
What resolution are the cameras?
What video format does the recorder stream?

Choose an answer to each question to see your result.

Where the AI runs

On-site edge server or the Woodcock AI Cloud

Edge server

Processes video on your local network and works without an internet connection. Footage stays on site, faint smoke or small flames can be flagged in under four seconds, and relay outputs can trigger a fire panel, siren or other safety system.

Woodcock AI Cloud

Needs no NVR on site and adds central monitoring, remote management and cloud recording, which suits multi-site operators.

See the full system, from camera to alert, in how Woodcock AI works.

Honest limitations

What video smoke detection can't do

It is a powerful early-warning layer, but only within what a camera can see. Plan around these limits.

  • Line of sight onlyIt detects visible smoke and flame. It cannot see inside a stockpile, behind racking, in a closed container or outside a camera's field of view.
  • Image quality mattersA dirty, out-of-focus or badly placed camera sees less. Dense fog, heavy rain on the lens or pointing into strong light can reduce what it can see.
  • Not a certified fire alarmIt supplements, and does not replace, certified fire detection and alarm systems, suppression systems or statutory fire safety procedures. See how Woodcock AI smoke and fire detection fits alongside them.
  • Someone must actAlerts reach people in seconds, but your team or monitoring provider still needs to verify the clip and follow your fire procedures.
  • Closed systemsSome manufacturer systems do not expose ONVIF or RTSP. We'll tell you on the assessment and advise on a compatible upgrade.
  • Power and networkCameras, recorders and the edge server need power and a working local network to keep watching; the cloud option also needs internet.
How to add it

How to add video smoke detection to existing CCTV

  1. 1

    Check your cameras

    Use the compatibility checker on this page, or list your cameras and recorder. Most ONVIF and RTSP devices from 360p to 8K connect.

  2. 2

    Book a free site assessment

    We review your CCTV and the fire risks on your site, and recommend which cameras should watch for smoke and flame.

  3. 3

    Connect the cameras

    Enter each camera or recorder login on the edge server or the Woodcock AI Cloud. Keep your current NVR, use a Woodcock virtual NVR, or run with no NVR at all. Our technical team helps for free, including remote setup.

  4. 4

    Set zones, schedules and alerts

    Draw detection zones for each camera, choose when it watches and who gets alerts by push notification, email or SMS.

  5. 5

    Review alerts and trial it

    Each alert arrives with the video clip. Review real detections during the 30-day trial before deciding to continue.

Book a free site assessment
FAQ

Video smoke detection questions

Straight answers about running smoke detection on the cameras you already have.

Something else?office@woodcock.ai
Do I need new cameras for video smoke detection?
Usually not. Woodcock AI runs on the CCTV you already have. Most ONVIF and RTSP cameras and recorders connect, from 360p up to 8K, with H.264, H.264+ or H.265 streams, by entering the camera or recorder login. If a camera is on a closed manufacturer system, or does not cover a risk area, the free site assessment will say so and advise on a compatible upgrade.
How does video smoke detection work?
The video stream from each camera or recorder is sent over RTSP to the Woodcock AI edge server on site, or to the Woodcock AI Cloud. The AI analyses the frames for the shape, movement and spread of visible smoke and flame, checks the detection against what it has learned about that camera's normal view, then sends an alert by push notification, email or SMS with the video clip attached. Alerts to a monitoring centre (ARC) and phone-call alerts are available as optional add-ons. On the edge server, faint smoke or small flames can be flagged in under four seconds.
What are the limits of video smoke detection?
It can only detect smoke or flame that a camera can see. It cannot see inside a stockpile, behind racking or outside the field of view, and it depends on the camera having a clear, focused image. Very poor visibility, such as dense fog, heavy rain on the lens or a camera pointed into strong light, can reduce what it can see. It is not a certified fire alarm, so it should sit alongside your heat and point smoke detection and your fire procedures.
How does it handle false alarms?
A self-learning AI is fitted to each site and learns its cameras, and every detection has a feedback button that feeds into retraining. It is also and it is trained to tell smoke apart from fog, dust and steam. Every alert comes with the video clip, so someone can check what the camera saw in seconds before acting. You can also set detection zones and schedules for each camera to keep known sources out of view.
Does video smoke detection replace fire alarms?
No. Video smoke detection supplements, and does not replace, certified fire detection and alarm systems, suppression systems or statutory fire safety procedures. It adds a visual early-warning layer to your CCTV, which is most useful in large open areas, outdoor yards and out of hours, when point detectors may be far from the fire or nobody is watching the screens.
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