CCTV Planner
Black Cats

Plan your CCTV layout on the actual drawing

Upload the CAD floor-plan PDF, drop cameras where they go, aim the coverage cone, and type the camera model against each one. Share the finished plan as a web page or download it as a PDF. Nothing is uploaded to a server — everything runs in your browser.

or drag & drop the file anywhere on this page · multi-page PDFs become floors automatically

  • Multi-floorEvery PDF page is a floor you can switch between
  • Coverage conesDrag to aim, widen the angle, stretch the range
  • Free-text modelsType any camera model — no fixed dropdown lists
  • Share or downloadA shareable plan page, or a PDF with the camera schedule

Free CCTV camera layout plan maker

Black Cats CCTV Planner is a free online tool for drawing a CCTV camera layout plan directly on a customer's floor plan. Upload the architect's PDF, place each security camera where it will actually be mounted, aim its field-of-view cone, and type the camera model against it. You get back a clean camera placement drawing and a full camera schedule — the two things a customer needs before approving a quotation.

Everything runs inside your browser. Drawings are never uploaded to a server, there is no account to create, and nothing is stored anywhere except on your own device.

Who this CCTV design tool is for

  • CCTV installers and system integrators — turn a site survey into a camera placement plan you can attach to the quotation, instead of marking up a printout with a red pen.
  • Security consultants — show coverage, overlap and blind spots on the real building geometry before any cable is pulled.
  • Builders and architects — hand the electrical contractor a drawing that shows exactly where camera points and conduit are needed.
  • Home and business owners — sanity-check how many cameras a property actually needs and where they should go.

How to plan security camera placement on a floor plan

  1. Upload the floor plan. Any PDF drawing works — architectural plans, a builder's layout, or a photo of a printed plan. Each page becomes a floor, and you can add more files for ground, first, second and third floor plans.
  2. Place the cameras. Tap where each camera is going. Entry gates, main doors, driveways, car parking, lobbies, staircases and lift landings are the usual starting points.
  3. Aim the coverage cone. Drag the cone to set direction, viewing angle and range, so the customer can see what each camera actually watches and where the blind spots are.
  4. Record the camera model. Type the model, mount height, cable run and any site notes — for example 4MP bullet, 2.8 mm, 10 ft on the compound wall.
  5. Set the scale (optional) so coverage ranges read in feet or metres against a known dimension on the drawing.
  6. Share or download. Send the plan as a web page, or download a PDF with the cameras drawn over your original drawing plus a camera schedule table.

Camera placement tips

Cover approaches before interiors — a camera on the gate and driveway is worth more than another one in a bedroom corridor. Mount high enough to be out of reach but low enough to capture faces, typically 8 to 10 ft for identification. Avoid pointing cameras straight into the sun or at bright windows, and remember that a wide 2.8 mm lens sees more of the room but recognises faces at a shorter distance than a 4 mm one. Overlap coverage at entry points so a single failed camera does not open a gap.

Frequently asked questions

Is this CCTV planner really free?

Yes. There is no sign-up, no trial and no export limit. The tool runs entirely in your browser.

Are my drawings uploaded anywhere?

No. The PDF is opened and rendered locally in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, so customer drawings stay confidential.

Can I plan multiple floors?

Yes. Every page of a multi-page PDF becomes its own floor, and you can add further drawings if the ground floor and upper floors arrived as separate files.

Does it work on a mobile phone?

Yes. The planner is built for touch, so you can mark up a drawing on a phone or tablet while you are standing on site.

What file formats can I upload?

PDF floor plans, plus PNG, JPEG and WebP images — useful when the only drawing available is a photograph of a printed plan.

Do I need to know the camera model before planning?

No. The model is a free-text box, so you can leave it blank, write a rough spec now and refine it later, or type any brand and model you like. There is no fixed dropdown list to work around.

Can I use the exported plan in a customer quotation?

Yes. The PDF keeps your original drawing sharp and adds a camera schedule listing every camera, its model, location, mount height and cable run — ready to attach to a proposal.

About Black Cats

Black Cats supplies and installs CCTV and security systems. We built this planner for our own surveys and made it public so any installer or property owner can use it. Visit www.blackcatscctv.com to talk to us about a CCTV installation, or to get a survey and quotation for your site.

Project details

These appear on the exported HTML plan and PDF cover.

Set scale

You drew a line on the drawing. How long is that line in real life? Ranges will then be shown in real units on this floor.

How to use

  1. Open drawing — pick the CAD floor-plan PDF. Each page becomes a floor in the strip at the top.
  2. Add camera — tap the button, then tap the spot on the drawing. A numbered marker with a coverage cone appears.
  3. Aim it — drag the marker to move it. Drag the dot at the cone tip to rotate and stretch the coverage in one motion, or use the sliders.
  4. Describe it — type the camera model, the area it covers, mount height and any notes. All plain text, type whatever you like.
  5. Set scale (optional) — under ⋯, draw a line over a known dimension on the drawing (e.g. the 51'-0" line) and enter its real length. Ranges then read in feet or metres.
  6. Export — HTML plan opens a shareable web page with every floor and a full camera schedule. PDF downloads the same thing as a document, drawn on top of your original PDF so it stays sharp.

Your work is kept in this browser only. Nothing is uploaded anywhere. Use Save project to keep a .cctv file you can reload later or send to a colleague.