Aviation Soars With Security
Automated perimeter detection system
- By Rolland Trayte
- Dec 01, 2011
Each year in Oshkosh, Wis., there is a spectacle like none
other. It isn’t the Northern Lights but a phenomenon by
its own rights and well known in the close-knit aviation
community. That’s when the “World’s Greatest Aviation
Celebration,” sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association,
brings the history and the future of the industry together at Wittman
Regional Airfield in Oshkosh.
This year’s EAA AirVenture 2011 in July drew close to 550,000
visitors during the seven-day event—members, fans and spectators
who came to see daily aviation shows, aerobatics and pyrotechnics,
as well as the opening day Fly-In Theater. The event also features
forums, workshops and demonstrations, and also attracts top government
officials, corporate leaders and international aviation enthusiasts.
EAA is an organization of more than 160,000 members focusing
on the spirit of flight.
In addition to spectator traffic, there were more than 10,000 aircraft
flying into Wittman, landing at what became the busiest airport
in the world. Celebrating the Centennial of Naval Aviation, the
show brought together the largest collection of naval aircraft in any
single event—including a replica of the Navy’s original N-1 Curtiss
Pusher and today’s Boeing F/A-18. “FIFI” the Boeing B-29 was the
biggest warbird at AirVenture 2011; the big bomber was flown in by
the Commemorative Air Force (CAF).
With such high-level property and a bevy of attendees, the site
needed stealth perimeter detection, and the specifier of the solution,
Mitchell Christian, owner of Cyber Consulting & Security, also in
Oshkosh, opted to go with FutureSentry’s First Responder, an automated
perimeter detection system that mimics the actions of a security
guard to prevent crime before loss or damage occurs.
Tracking and Deterring
Leveraging leading technology, the solution uses advanced motion
detection to automatically identify potentially dangerous targets
within 1,000 feet and track objects to deter criminal behavior. Once it
detects motion in a user-defined area, the system illuminates activity
with a high-intensity LED light and continues to guard the area until
no activity is present.
Christian deployed First Responder on a trailer to cover the main
viewing area at the show—the ConocoPhillips Plaza, where the Boeing
787 Dreamliner prototype was stationed for a time, as well as
other aircraft.
“The planes are, of course, the main attraction,” Christian said.
“It was the first time the new Boeing 787 was in the United States,
and the B-29 bomber FIFI is the only remaining flying aircraft of
its kind.”
Some of the concerns of the show owners were protecting the aircraft
from any accidental mishaps or threats of vandalism or damage.
Christian used the First Responder’s available alarm output circuitry
to wire two analog PTZ surveillance cameras, which were configured
to trigger on alarm or alert for CCTV viewing or record for evidence
at 30 frames per second.
“It’s totally portable,” said Christian, adding that First Responder
lends itself to a variety of applications. “It can run up to three weeks
on battery power. I spent about one week doing initial testing, but
the specification worked perfectly and the final installation was accomplished
in minutes.
“We had no incidents and we had a much easier time with security
with the FutureSentry deployed,” he said. “What attracted me to the
solution were the lights used on it; they’re a great deterrent, and if you
can deter criminals or activity, that’s going to stop a lot of incidents.”
He called the deployment a “major success.”
“I’ll be looking at doing more with the system on
my trailer in the future,” he said.
This article originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Security Today.