Go With the Flow

How GRB airport uses video analytics to detect reverse flow on the concourse

  • By Karl Radke
  • Oct 03, 2016

You’ve seen it happen before. Passengers are deplaning and straggling down the exit corridor. Suddenly one of them reverses direction. Is he simply going back to retrieve a forgotten cellphone? Or, are his intentions more sinister? Who can be sure? But the moment this person goes against the flow, an alarm goes off at the airport public safety command center and the adjacent TSA security checkpoint. Officers are dispatched to the exit lane and all travelers are required to exit the concourse. How is this immediate, real-time alert possible? The airport is using sophisticated video analytics embedded in its video surveillance system. In this era of heightened vigilance, airports like Green Bay Austin Straubel International (GRB) are recognizing that adding analytics to their video surveillance system is a powerful force multiplier.

Analyzing Potential Threats

“Ten years ago when we modified our concourses we put in some exit lane technology to provide security without having to station a person at the door 20 hours a day,” said Tom Miller, director for Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport. “But as that technology neared the end of its lifespan, we were starting to get a number of irregular alarms.”

In 2015, GRB decided to replace its old technology with savVi, Agent Vi’s on-premise video analytics platform. The analytics work in conjunction with high-definition Axis network video cameras and a Milestone XProtect Video Management System to detect individuals going the wrong way on concourse exit lanes and Security Identification Display Areas (SIDA). When an event occurs, savVi automatically sends a visual and audio alert to TSA agents and the airport Public Safety Command Center. At the command center, a live-view of the event automatically pops up on the video wall. With multiple cameras trained on the area, security is able to ascertain whether the individual made contact with anyone else in the vicinity.

Coverage from Tarmac to Tower

Video analytics is just one part of a comprehensive security system GRB uses to protect more than 350,000 passengers, 185,000 pounds of air cargo and thousands of commercial and charter aircraft annually. The two-runway airport is served by three major airlines, American Eagle, Delta, and United/Continental Airlines, that provide 30 daily departures and connections to destinations around the world.

The airport also hosts a number of support businesses: a parking lot facility, car rental agencies, a restaurant and lounge, gift shops and two Fixed-base Operators who provide maintenance, airline and general aviation refueling, charter services and pilot training. The FAA and the TSA have regional bases of operations at the airport and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has offices in the terminal to clear corporate aircraft entering the United States from around the world.

“We’ve deployed more than 140 HDTV-resolution Axis cameras throughout the airport,” said Mark Hall, the electrician and system installer for the Green Bay airport. “We put them just about everywhere: on our tower, in the parking lot, in the terminal building, at our vehicle drive-through gates. Basically, we cover everything inside the fence except the restrooms.”

While GRB standardized on the Axis network cameras product line, the airport availed itself of a wide variety of camera models and features to address their coverage goals for each location under surveillance. For instance, to monitor passenger foot traffic through the exit lane corridors, the airport uses a combination of Axis indoor HDTV-quality fixed dome network cameras and thermal network cameras integrated with Agent Vi’s video analytics. To monitor the airfield, GRB installed an Axis outdoor-ready HDTV-quality PTZ dome network camera with 20x zoom on the roof of the terminal. To deter theft and vandalism in its vehicle storage areas, GRB installed Axis one-megapixel day/night fixed dome network cameras in their vehicle maintenance and Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting facilities. To monitor concourse gate rooms and curbside passenger drop-off/pick-up areas, GRB uses Axis light-sensitive, HDTV-quality fixed dome network cameras with P-iris control for optimal image quality in all lighting conditions.

GRB uses Axis thermal network cameras on the runways to monitor the movement of airplanes, service vehicles and personnel. savVi, Agent Vi’s software, analyzes the camera images to differentiate between people, vehicles and static objects. savVi automatically sends an alert to security personnel when it detects people present in a vehicleonly lane or other restricted area.

Taking an Intelligent Approach to Security

Even with a TSA presence, local airports face many of the same challenges as their larger hub-based counterparts yet possess fewer resources to deal with them. Finding ways to quickly neutralize insider threats and tighten concourse security with limited budgets and personnel have become hot topics for action.

What many smaller airports like GRB are learning is that adding video analytics to their surveillance systems provides the essential force multiplier they need for early detection and rapid response to potentially threatening situations.

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

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

Most   Popular

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.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.