Fluidmesh and Avrio RMS: A Winning Ticket at 2012 DNC

During the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC), Charlotte, N.C. was in charge of ensuring the safety of its residents and visitors.

The City of Charlotte was charged with ensuring the safety of its residents and visitors when it played host to the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in September. The North Carolina city was allotted federal funding from the DNC to harden security in preparation for the roughly 30,000 people who came through during the convention.

They put out an RFP and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) selected Avrio RMS Group, an industry leader in IP-surveillance solutions for the public safety market.

"We were chosen because of our experience with large events," stated Avrio RMS CEO, Mark Jules. "We were the integrator on the last DNC, the RNC, the G20 in Pittsburgh, the inauguration in D.C. and the Super Bowl in Phoenix."

There were several challenges inherent to this install, Jules points out. Primarily, lead time was very limited, and interference was a huge concern, given all the different agencies that would be there operating within a confined space.

"We overcame the interference issues through good design and partnering with Fluidmesh," he added. "Their radios are very robust and can operate on different channels and frequencies. They consistently deliver an extremely reliable wireless solution for video surveillance. For this installation, we went with 4.9Ghz Fluidmesh 1100, 3100 and 2200 radios."

Over 95 cameras were deployed throughout the city via wireless. Fluidmesh radios were used for mesh radios and also as backup backhaul radios. The network architecture involved using high rise buildings as a collecting point for all the wireless devices to bring camera feeds. A majority of the cameras and radios were deployed to cover the entrances, exits and gathering areas for DNC events and venues. Skywatch Manned Mobile Units were also deployed throughout the city and then connected to the camera network using Fluidmesh radios.

Captain Steve Willis of the Charlotte Police Department is satisfied with the system. "We are very, very pleased with the results," he says. "We've relied on the system since the convention to enhance day to day public safety and assist in our investigations."

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.