Dissection of Flock Safety Camera – The Center for Human Rights and Privacy
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Flock Safety is marketing its cameras to neighborhood groups and law enforcement with the promise to "reduce crime in your community by up to 70%." Instead of selling these cameras, it leases them for about $2,500 per month. The cameras can be powered with solar panels and transmit data via a cellular modem so no extra wiring is needed. Note that the version we dissected is an older version and the modem is no longer being sold. Although the cameras capture images that include the license plates of vehicles, they are triggered by a motion detection sensor and will likely capture an image of anything that triggers the motion detector, including people, bicycles, etc.
Annotated photo of Flock Safety camera showing the motion detection sensor, LEDs and 16mm IR 1/2″ lens
After opening the Flock Safety camera, the biggest item is the PHD Energy rechargeable lithium ion battery
NimbeLink Skywire LTE cellular modem inside Flock Safety camera
Lantronix SD624 Audio Kit SOM inside Flock Safety camera
Taoglas AP.17E GPS module inside Flock Safety camera
LEDs and motion detection sensor in Flock Safety camera
Another view of LEDs and motion detection sensor in Flock Safety camera
5MP 16mm Fixed M12 1/2 Inch IR Filter Action Camera Lens in Flock Safety camera
Back of Flock Safety camera showing antenna connector for cellular modem and connector for solar panel
Here’s the list of component parts that we were able to identify:
Cellular: NimbeLink Skywire LTE modem – FCC ID N7NHL7648
P/N: NL-SW-LTE-S7648 (https://nimbelink.com/products/4g-lte-cat-1-att-sierra-wireless/)
Battery: PHD Energy lithium ion rechargeable – 10.8V, 19Ah, 205.2Wh
SD624 Audio Kit SOM (https://www.lantronix.com/products/open-q-624a-development-kit/)
Wifi/bluetooth: LITE ON Technology WCBN3510A 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2T2R+BT V4.2LE
GPS: Taoglas AP.17E – one stage 17mm active patch antenna Module (https://www.taoglas.com/product/ap-17e-gps-1-stage-active-patch-17mm-2/)
Camera lens: 5MP Action Camera Lens 16mm Fixed M12 1/2 Inch IR Filter
Updated July 12, 2026, with a link to GitHub code for a newer version of a Flock camera: https://github.com/kernelstub/FlockCamRE
31 Responses to "Dissection of Flock Safety Camera"
Steve Carbonaro says:
August 7, 2022 at 10:24 pm
Thanks for this Mike. So they’re not just looking at us, they are listening as well.
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Anonymous says:
February 27, 2024 at 12:47 am
Did you figure out which IR wavelengths the camera uses to see in the dark?
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Mike Katz-Lacabe says:
April 20, 2026 at 10:18 pm
The infrared LEDs are not being used so that the camera can "see" in the dark. The infrared LEDs are being used to help illuminate the license plate. Pictures taken at night are good for capturing the license plate and not much else.
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Enter Here says:
July 23, 2026 at 11:17 am
So can they be overpowered with a stronger 850 nm LED???
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Nan Shednu says:
August 4, 2026 at 10:24 am
There are a few Youtube vids from makers, where they do things like install 850nm LEDs around license plates hiden in the holder and demonstrate that the resulting glare makes the plate unreadable to the cameras at night.
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Jacob Smoth says:
September 18, 2025 at 6:25 am
Could a high powered laser compromise those LEDS / motion detector sensor?
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unknown flock hater says:
July 21, 2026 at 5:07 am
Not much you can do against those LEDs, but im guessing a strong IR laser (5W+) can burn the cameras sensor.
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Josh says:
August 3, 2026 at 10:29 pm
Yes, watch some styropyro vids on YouTube. eBay has lots of questionably-legal high-powered lasers that are probably capable of melting a CCD.
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Carlos Ortiz says:
November 13, 2025 at 6:18 am
What frequency are those LEDs?
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Phil Cooper says:
January 7, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Scaling of most of the images on this page is messed up and should be corrected for usability.
"Contra Costa" is misspelled in the table as "Conta Costa".
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UTERO says:
February 18, 2026 at 10:26 am
Curious what security bit would work best for opening a case similar (but obviously not the same, of course) to the one in the article?
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Jack says:
June 18, 2026 at 9:04 pm
The big ifixit pro toolkit has all the security bits you’d probably need.
Harbor freight sells a security bit set too.
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John Johnson says:
July 6, 2026 at 10:14 pm
Ball peen or claw bit usually works well.
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John Hancock says:
July 27, 2026 at 5:58 pm
T25 or T30
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Donny Donowitz says:
July 27, 2026 at 8:38 pm
I’ve worked on similar devices completely unrelated to this particular device. The best security bit is known in the industry as item M855. It works especially well in the lower half of similar devices, where the LIB is located. This tool and technique is a big time saver, as devices tend to just come right apart when the tool is applied.
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bob bobson says:
February 23,...