Intruder Alert - Since 9/11, airport and aviation security has generally been terminal centric with increased checkpoint screening for passengers and air cargo, increased protection of the flight deck with both physical security and air marshals to secure planes while in flight.

Intruder Alert

Why hi-definition and thermal network cameras are crucial for airport perimeter security

  • By Anthony Incorvati
  • Jan 04, 2016

Since 9/11, airport and aviation security has generally been terminal centric with increased checkpoint screening for passengers and air cargo, increased protection of the flight deck with both physical security and air marshals to secure planes while in flight. Given these high security measures and what passengers experience at TSA checkpoints and throughout terminals, it may surprise you to learn just how vulnerable airport perimeters may be. While there’s no question that airports work hard to secure their perimeters, the sheer size of some airports and the historical technology deployed to protect them have led to some serious gaps in airport security.

A WAKE-UP CALL: DISTURBING STATISTICS ON PERIMETER BREACHES

The sad reality is that perimeter breaches aren’t a rare occurrence for airports. For example, in April 2015, there was a perimeter breach at San Jose International Airport, their fifth occurrence in less than a year. Unfortunately, the breach only added to the ever-growing list of high-profile intrusions at airports around the world.

An Associated Press investigation found 268 perimeter breaches at 31 major airports since 2004. This number represents only a fraction of the incidents because Boston’s Logan Airport and New York City’s three major airports refused to release any information citing security concerns. In addition, these statistics don’t include smaller airports or those that had incomplete data.

The TSA data is even more disturbing, stating there were 1,388 breaches at 450 U.S. airports between 2001 and 2011. Collectively, this data highlights how critical the need for accurate, dependable intrusion detection system is.

In October 2015, the Russian Metrojet 9268 tragedy in Egypt raised worldwide awareness to the importance of tightening security measures around airport erimeters and ramp operations.

As airports search for solutions, one tool that keeps coming to the forefront is network video surveillance. As versatile perimeter protection systems they continually monitor activity in and around the premises providing airports cost-effective protection of assets, staff and passengers.

A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PERIMETER SECURITY

Video surveillance systems, on the other hand, provide a more holistic approach to perimeter detection and verification that rarely yields false alarms. There is generally no better way to validate a physical sensor than with an image from a camera. New, more cost-effective thermal imaging cameras offer additional benefits for airport perimeter environments. Automated detect-track-notify solutions, enabled by recent advances in camera hardware and video analytics software, further improves effectiveness by enhancing real-time situational awareness and response capability.

THE BEST OFFENSE IS AN EARLY DEFENSE

The first goal in perimeter protection is to detect a threat or an intrusion at the earliest possible stage. One of the best early warning tools is a modern thermal network camera. Unrivaled in detection sensitivity and accuracy, this technology is ideal as a first line of defense. Thermal cameras do not require any light at all to operate. They are able to spot a person or an object by the thermal radiation they emit.

Today’s HDTV and megapixel-resolution network cameras make facial identification or license plate recognition possible even at great distances. Special lowlight technology that reduces noise and maintains full color fidelity even in very dark conditions greatly enhances recognition and identification of people, vehicles and critical incident details.

Operators can use remotely operated PTZs and well-placed fixed cameras to track the whereabouts of intruders while guiding an employee or a guard patrol to intercept the trespasser. The archived video of the intruder’s movements and activities can then be used as irrefutable evidence for detention and prosecution.

TRUE OR FALSE? NOW YOU KNOW

Misinterpreting alarms raises all sorts of problems when it comes to airport perimeter protection. With judicious use of advanced network camera surveillance, coupling hi-definition PTZ and fixed cameras with thermal cameras and video analytics, airports can not only detect possible intruders far earlier than before, but can also verify the extent and severity of a breach and provide essential situational awareness to initiate an appropriate and effective response.

Nutkamol komolvanich / Shutterstock.com

This article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Anthony Incorvati is the manager of business development, transportation, at Axis Communications.

Featured

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

  • Why the Future of Video Security Is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reasons. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. Read Now

  • UL Solutions Launches Artificial Intelligence Safety Certification Services

    UL Solutions Inc., a global leader in safety science, today announced the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) safety certification services, enabling comprehensive assessments for evaluating the safety of AI-powered products. Read Now

  • ESA Announces Initiative to Introduce the SECURE Act in State Legislatures

    The Electronic Security Association (ESA), the national voice for the electronic security and life safety industry, has announced plans to introduce the SECURE Act in state legislatures across the country beginning in 2025. The proposal, known as Safeguarding Election Candidates Using Reasonable Expenditures, provides a clear framework that allows candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for professional security services. Read Now

    • Guard Services
Most   Popular

New Products

  • 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.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • 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.