As it is well-known, airports are one of the most highly critical infrastructures. They have to keep up highest security requirements while maintaining visitors and package flow at all times. It is vital that every area is monitored, including hangars, car parks, terminal and access roads, runways and the perimeter. There are a number of parties involved when it comes to security at an airport; from the customs and excise, the local and national police as well as the airport operators themselves. GIT SECURITY takes a closer look at some of the solutions used at various different airports.

While billions of passengers already travel through airports every year, this number is anticipated to grow rapidly in the coming years. Therefore airports have to be secured and managed without any complications.

Monitoring Wide Areas
Airports typically encompass wide areas and stretch over long distances, which poses particular challenges for a video monitoring system. In the past, in order to adequately monitor the entire area, it was necessary to use many cameras installed at a large number of locations. Dallmeier’s Panomera multifocal sensor system, for example, represents a different approach to the issue of video security. The patented Panomera multi-focal sensor technology is a video solution for both landside and airside safety and security. It was specially developed for the all-encompassing video surveillance of large areas. Huge expanses, as well as areas at great distances, can be displayed with a completely new resolution quality, in real time and at high frame rates of up to 30 fps. A huge area can be surveyed with a Panomera unit from a single location and, depending on the customer’s needs, the resolution can be scaled almost without limit. For example, one Panomera system equipped with eight sensors is sufficient to replace up to 35 standard megapixel cameras.

Access Control for Airports
Muscat International Airport in Oman, as another example, has installed an airport access control system by CEM that goes beyond security by helping in airport operations. The system not only provides the airports with advanced access control throughout terminal buildings, airside and landside boundaries, but it also provides a range of software applications to enhance the airport’s onsite operations and increase business efficiency. For example, one module produces card passes that include logos, staff signatures, and images while another enables efficient management of gate rooms for departing and arriving passengers. Additionally, the intelligent combined fingerprint card readers and controllers can be used in high-security areas where there are requirements for three-stage verification (card, PIN, and fingerprint).

Airport Analytics?
There are a lot of great solutions on the market. Genetec, for example, has introduced Genetec Airport Sense as part of the Genetec Airport Practice Group. This advanced operational analytics solution relies on data provided by an airport’s existing security infrastructure, including cameras, sensors and various detection devices to produce actionable intelligence about airport security, operations and passenger flow. By accessing and analyzing both structured and unstructured data from these untapped security information sources, airports can extend their security investment.
Security guards are rarely positioned in the baggage reclaim area, but help is available – the team of Sundsvall Airport relies on a solution from Genetec. Their Security Center Mobile App helps to oversee security while security personnel move through the airport carrying out their many responsibilities. If someone tries to access a restricted area, the unified platform automatically alerts guards on their phones. From the app, they can acknowledge alarms, view the relevant video and quickly determine if it’s a false alarm or something that requires their immediate attention.

Transportation Management
Auckland Airport is a good example for vehicle authorization: in response to this expected growth, the Ground Transportation Plan was redesigned to ensure that required service levels would meet passenger demands. They used Nedap’s latest Transit and Moov technology. All ground transport vehicles (such as taxis, tour buses, emergency services and other commercial vehicles) are automatically registered by the Transit as they pass through the restricted areas that are only accessible for authorized vehicles. Besides the Ground Transport application, Nedap’s Transit readers were also installed at the airport to facilitate automatic, long-range, secured vehicle access to restricted areas of the airport. The Transit readers are integrated into the existing access control system.

Drones
While the majority of incidents of drones flying into an airport’s perimeter are likely to be accidental – even though they present a significant risk – in other situations, criminal intent is far more likely. Anti-drone security platform provider Dedrone has developed a solution that aggregates data from its detector sensors and advanced video analytic algorithms. Using video footage from Axis Communications network cameras that establish wide area detection, this enables visual localization and enables the mitigation of any drone threat. The solution’s user interface can provide automated visual alarms and notifications and provides protection of sensitive sites: detecting, tracking and monitoring for drones 24/7, providing real-time alerts and identifying potential threats, even when these are several hundred feet above ground.

Baggage Handling
Airports need to find a suitable solution to make baggage transport flow even more reliably and securely. To thoroughly modernize the baggage handling systems at airports in Greece, Siemens is installing equipment including the latest VarioBelt conveyors, vertical sortation units (VSUs) and horizontal diverting units (HDU). Siemens is integrating Standard 3 X-ray equipment for hold baggage screening (HBS) to further improve security. The scope of delivery also includes smart Scada software to monitor and control the technical processes. Apart from that, passengers profit from modern, attractive check-ins in the departure areas and ergonomic VarioCarousel baggage reclaims in the arrival halls.

Explosives Screening
As another example of a security solution, Gatwick joins a growing number of UK airports leveraging Smiths Detection’s expertise to expand and automate hold baggage explosives screening capabilities. When fully operational, the UK’s second busiest airport will utilize CTX 9800 to screen all in-gauge baggage in the South Terminal and ensure compliance with UK Department for Transport mandates requiring the use of Standard 3-approved EDS by September 2018. To achieve maximum system uptime and operational capabilities, Smiths Detection’s on-site network of highly-trained engineers and technicians will ensure that all CTX 9800 are maintained, serviced and optimized to operate in peak condition for a minimum of ten years.

Lisa Schneiderheinze