Security Robot Site Acceptance: Protocol for Plant Managers

This document describes the site acceptance process for a patrol robot from the plant management perspective. It does not replace a site-specific risk assessment. It defines the minimum requirements for protocol, figures, and signatures before the first autonomous patrol run.

Security Robot Site Acceptance: Mandatory Protocol Content

Site acceptance means the structured recording of terrain, risks, and interfaces before the first patrol run. It is not a sales conversation. It is a technical inventory with signatures.

The process divides into three phases: site survey on days 1 and 2, mapping on days 3 to 5, acceptance on days 6 and 7. This sequence is binding. No phase begins until the preceding phase is closed.

Mandatory protocol fields: site area in square metres, fence length in metres, number of access points, list of critical assets, marking of all low-light zones with measured lux values. Any missing field renders the protocol incomplete. Acceptance is deferred.

Responsibilities are separated. The plant manager signs the site clearance. The security manager signs the escalation matrix. The Quarero Field Engineer signs the sensor acceptance. 3 signatures, 3 areas of responsibility, no overlap.

From the date of the signed protocol, Quarero delivers the robot operationally to site within 48 hours. This deadline applies only when all mandatory fields are complete and all open items are acknowledged in writing.

Platform details: QR-2 for outdoor plant perimeters.

Site Survey: The First 48 Hours On Site

The walkthrough is conducted twice: once in daylight, once at night. Light measurements are documented segment by segment in lux. Values below 5 lux designate a low-light zone and require the robot's thermal imaging camera.

All surface types are recorded in full. Asphalt, gravel, steel grating, and concrete slabs have different trafficability ratings. Ramps exceeding 10 percent gradient are marked separately. The QR-2 navigates autonomously up to 15 percent gradient. Steeper sections are set as exclusion zones.

A WLAN heatmap is produced along the planned route. The minimum threshold is -75 dBm at every point on the patrol path. Dead spots are recorded in the protocol with GPS coordinates. More than 3 dead spots on the route trigger installation of an additional access point before mapping begins.

Blind spots between existing fixed cameras are identified and added as mandatory points on the robot route. The robot covers exactly the gaps in the static system rather than duplicating existing coverage.

All gates, airlocks, and personnel entrances are documented with photograph and GPS coordinate. Sites larger than 50,000 square metres typically generate 40 to 80 individual points. This list is the basis for the escalation matrix in section 4.

Mapping and SLAM Setup

The initial run takes place in teach mode at reduced speed below 0.5 m/s. The Field Engineer steers the robot manually. This run produces the point cloud from which the navigation map is calculated.

The QR-3 uses 32-channel LiDAR. Map accuracy is below 5 cm at 200 m distance (manufacturer specification QR-3, QR-3 data sheet). This accuracy is required to separate forklift lanes from pedestrian zones and to navigate precisely around containers. Platform details: QR-3 with LiDAR for complex terrain.

During analysis, static obstacles are separated from dynamic zones. Static: containers, transformer stations, pump houses, columns. Dynamic: forklift lanes, truck loading zones, temporary storage areas. Static objects are added to the base map. Dynamic zones receive time windows with reduced robot activity.

A geofence is placed around production-critical zones. The robot automatically maintains a safety clearance of at least 3 metres. If the robot leaves the permitted area, it enters emergency stop and reports to the control centre.

The map is stored locally on site. No upload to any external cloud. This is a requirement under Art. 32 GDPR and also protects site layout and production geometry from external access. The map does not leave the plant network.

Patrol Routes and Escalation Logic

A patrol route consists of mandatory checkpoints and discretionary points. Mandatory checkpoints must be visited on every round. The minimum density is 12 checkpoints per hour of patrol (Quarero operating standard, documented in the acceptance protocol template). The algorithm adds discretionary points situationally.

Checkpoint order varies by randomisation algorithm. No predictable pattern is created for potential intruders. An observer watching the fence for three nights cannot predict the route on the fourth night. This is the central operational difference from a conventional Streife.

Escalation proceeds in 3 stages. Stage 1: local audio warning at the robot, verbal address of the person. Stage 2: handover to the control centre with live stream and two-way audio. Stage 3: parallel alert to police and plant manager via the stored escalation chain.

Control centre response time is below 30 seconds from detection to live-stream view (acceptance criterion per VdS 3138). This figure is measured during acceptance, not assumed. If the threshold is exceeded, the connection is reconfigured before the protocol is signed.

The number of patrol rounds per shift is fixed in the protocol. For a plant of 80,000 square metres, 6 rounds in 8 hours is a realistic figure. More rounds mean less time per checkpoint. Fewer rounds create longer response windows. Both extremes reduce protection.

Comparison with other industrial sites: Perimeter protection in industrial parks.

Interfaces with Existing Security Technology

Integration into the existing VMS uses ONVIF Profile T. Tested integrations include Genetec Security Center, Milestone XProtect, and Bosch BVMS. Robot streams appear as additional cameras in the existing operational picture. Control centre operators do not change their interface.

Access control integration uses OPC UA or REST API. Alarms are transferred in under 2 seconds. If the robot detects an unauthorised person at gate 7, the access control system locks the gate. The person does not reach the interior.

The interface to the fire detection system is read-only. The robot may not acknowledge fire alarms. This separation follows VdS requirements and protects the fire protection escalation chain from accidental manipulation by the robotics system.

The charging station requires 230 V/16 A. Cable routing and earthing are documented in the protocol. The charging station location is chosen so that the approach distance is below 50 metres and no forklift traffic is crossed.

Radio frequencies are coordinated with plant IT. No overlap is permitted with production WLAN, DECT handsets, or ISM bands used by production-adjacent sensors. The frequency plan sheet is Annex 4 of the protocol.

Safety Acceptance under EN ISO 13482 and EU Machinery Regulation

Before commissioning, the robot's declaration of conformity is held at the plant office. EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 mandates conformity for autonomous machines in the workplace from January 2027. Plants commissioning systems today already accept against this regulation. This avoids retrospective retrofitting.

EN ISO 13482 is the definitive safety standard for personal care and service robots and is applied as the reference for mobile patrol robots. Quarero documents conformity section by section in the acceptance file.

Functional tests of all emergency-stop mechanisms are carried out on site. The physical emergency-stop button on the robot, the remote command from the control centre, and the automatic halt on geofence departure are each tested individually. All three are entered in the protocol with time and response duration.

Person detection is verified across 50 simulated encounters. Required detection rate: above 99 percent (test basis: EN ISO 13482). The robot must come to a standstill within 1.5 m of the detected person. If the rate is below threshold, sensor calibration is adjusted. Acceptance is granted only after this is resolved.

Noise emission is measured with a sound level meter at 1 m distance at full patrol speed. Limit: below 65 dB(A) per the Noise and Vibration Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance (LärmVibrationsArbSchV). This places the robot below the level of two people in conversation and does not disturb night-shift operations.

The acceptance protocol is signed with date, list of persons present, and list of open items. Open items carry a deadline. The robot enters regular operation only after all items are closed or formally accepted in writing by the plant manager.

Operating Manual and Werkschutz Training

At handover, the plant receives a site-specific manual in German. Minimum scope: 40 pages including photographs of route points, a map with checkpoint numbering, and a telephone list for the escalation chain. This is not a generic product manual. It is a document that applies only to this site.

Werkschutz training runs for 4 hours. Breakdown: 1 hour theory (system function, escalation stages, emergency stop), 3 hours practical (control centre operation, manual override, switching to maintenance mode). Security officers and shift supervisors are trained together so both roles use the same terminology.

The human intervention point is designated by name. When the robot enters maintenance, a named person takes over the Streifengang. This rule is in the manual, not in the shift supervisor's memory. No maintenance window is released without a named intervention point.

Maintenance windows: 2 hours per week, schedulable, robot remains on site during maintenance. There is no collection model. Sensor cleaning, software update, and battery check are carried out on site by the Field Engineer. This avoids gaps in patrol coverage.

The escalation chain is documented with names, not only job titles. Deputisation during leave is part of the chain. If the chain lists "security manager" without a name, the chain is incomplete and the protocol is rejected.

Cost Framework and Contract Start

Site acceptance is free of charge on contract conclusion. Commissioned independently, the flat fee is €4,500 for a plant up to 100,000 square metres (see three-tier pricing model). If the contract is concluded within 90 days, the flat fee is credited.

The rental fee starts from the date of the signed acceptance record, not from contract signature. Delays during site acceptance shift the billing start date. This protects the plant manager from costs without delivered service.

Benchmark: a static guard post costs €15,000 to €25,000 per month for a 24/7 position under conventional staffing (BDSW sector data). The detailed comparison is in the Wachschutz cost comparison.

The minimum contract term is 24 months. After that, the contract is terminable monthly with 3 months notice. There is no residual value, no purchase option, and no hidden final invoice. The model is publicly documented in the Robotics-as-a-Service model and the three-tier pricing model.

Expansion to a second robot is deliverable within 14 days. The existing map is reused. A second full site acceptance is not required. Instead of 7 days, the expansion acceptance takes 2 days, covering route division and interface adjustment only.

For KRITIS sites, the following additionally applies: the KritisV defines thresholds for critical installations whose perimeters can be secured by robotics. Sites above the threshold require an extended escalation matrix with connection to the national operational picture.

Plant managers wishing to schedule a site acceptance submit the pilot request. The initial conversation covers site area, fence length, and existing security technology. This determines the site acceptance date and the mandatory fields of this protocol.