4 July 2022 - Agnès Treillon
Featured in: Market Insights, Intrusion detection
Between the economic impact linked to air freight and passenger safety, securing airports is a key issue for governments and operators of these giant facilities. Resources must therefore be deployed at many sensitive levels and with the resumption of air traffic, the need to protect airports is greater than ever before.
It all starts outside of the terminals and the approach, with the arrival of passenger and staff vehicles into the vast array of car parks. Their access and control are set up from the car park via the access to the barriers, with vehicle presence detectors such as the OVS-01GT, plate reading, video surveillance and search for staff access.
Most airports feature of hundreds of kilometers of security fencing installed to prevent unauthorised access, and these areas need to be part of the security system. In addition to CCTV and video surveillance, fibre optic detector cabling can be utilised on the mesh and can effectively detect if an individual attempts to cuts the mesh, tries to pass over it or if a vehicle has hit him. Fibre optic fence-mounted sensors are the ideal solution for long distances and can help to quickly identify and locate the precise area of intrusion, for instance allowing to configure zones of 100m or 200m.
LiDAR detection can also protect the perimeter creating a virtual wall up to 100m. Easily installed, the laser sensor makes it possible to adapt perfectly to the perimeter and the REDSCAN-Pro model with integrated OnVif camera can also be used to visually verify the nature of the alert. Integrated with a VMS, a PSIM or a camera, it allows the tracking of individuals in order to anticipate their destination and intercept them before they commit a crime.
The danger does not always come from the outside and the controls of what happens in the areas with restricted access, which manage the comings and goings of tens of thousands of personnel in the largest airports, are vital whether in terms of passenger or freight transport. A simple access control by badge or biometrics is not always enough to ensure that only authorised personnel enter the area. An anti-tailgating solution such as the Accurance OV-102 reinforces security on these strategic points.
Another useful application of LiDAR in the airport environment is to protect the check-in desks while they are not in operation, helping to alert if any product or person was trying to access via this vulnerable area.
The costs of theft of goods or trafficking of all kinds represent colossal sums each year and the risk of infiltrated personnel planning an attack must be considered. That is why the surveillance of cargo areas must also be a priority in the management of airport security. The same applies to securing hangars housing planes or helicopters. There are several outdoor protection solutions from volumetric detectors to LiDARs and also indoor protection.
With travel and air traffic now returning to more ‘normal’ levels, it is more important than ever to strengthen safety at all these levels to restore passengers' confidence to travel serenely and limit the impact of cargo flights on an economy already in great difficulty.