Design and Development of an IoT-Enabled Long-Range Surveillance Hexacopter UAV with GPS Tracking and Real-Time Video Transmission

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have gained significant importance in surveillance and monitoring applications

due to their flexibility, mobility, and ability to access remote or hazardous locations. This paper presents the design and

development of a long-range surveillance hexacopter drone integrated with GPS tracking, telemetry communication, and realtime video transmission capabilities. The proposed system employs a six-rotor configuration powered by brushless DC motors

and controlled through a flight controller to ensure stable flight performance and enhanced payload carrying capability. A GPS

module is incorporated to provide accurate location tracking, while a wireless telemetry system enables continuous

communication between the drone and the ground control station. An onboard camera captures and transmits live video streams

for real-time surveillance and monitoring purposes. The developed UAV platform was evaluated for flight stability,

communication range, tracking performance, and surveillance effectiveness. Experimental observations indicate reliable

operation, stable flight characteristics, and effective real-time monitoring over extended distances. The proposed surveillance

drone offers a cost-effective and efficient solution for applications such as border security, disaster management, traffic

monitoring, environmental observation, infrastructure inspection, and search-and-rescue operations. The results demonstrate

that the developed hexacopter UAV can successfully perform aerial surveillance tasks while maintaining operational reliability

and communication efficiency.