Systems Integration - The Secret Ingredient in Designing and Implementing Foolproof Airfield Security
For India’s airports, the need for updated security has never been more pressing. Constantly evolving regulations, the escalating threat of high-scale attacks, and increasing overheads require airports to be always prepared with foolproof airfield and perimeter security. However, as airports invest in a barrage of new-age security systems, there is a pressing need to ensure these systems work in perfect cohesion. That brings the spotlight onto seamless and continuous systems integration for world-class security.
The Ever-expanding Airfield Security Horizon
In January 2024, a man scaled the wall and entered Delhi Airport’s airside area. In a similar incident, a woman slipped past airport security using a fake ticket at Bangalore airport. Internationally, thePalm Springs airport was temporarily shut down as a person bypassed the security checkpoint. Security breaches like these can have severe consequences for airports, risking public safety, disrupting normal operations, and causing delays and financial losses.
To safeguard public spaces and theperimeter, airports investin multi-layered security solutions that enable intelligent surveillance, accurate data,analytics, and the ability to launch a quick response. These detection technologies and authentication tools help protect people and assets while meeting incredibly demanding security and safety requirements.
- Electric fences are critical to airport security. They serve as an excellent deterrent and provide a secure airport perimeter. They generate alarms when perimeter fences are tampered with, including cutting strands, shorting live and ground strands, climbing on the fence, and other situations.
- Intelligent cameras aid airports in positively identifying events or individuals that jeopardise airport security. From surveillance to thermal and infrared to long and short range, modern cameras, along with Artificial Intelligence based capabilities, offer a range of innovative capabilities, allowing for fast decision-making and delivering alerts to operators without choking up a lot of bandwidth.
- Drainage intrusion detection systems leverage fiber optic sensing controllers, enabling airports to thwart intrusion through drains. Any tampering with drainage grills will sound an alarm, providing the operator with the correct location of the tampering.
- OFC-based intrusion detection systems enable airports to detect intruders climbing, cutting, or lifting fences or building tunnels under them. Using advanced signal processing algorithms and AI, these systems provide actionable information to isolate problems and protect airport perimeters against intrusion attempts.
- LiDAR-based intrusion detection systems helpidentify the size, direction, and velocity of people or objects in the field of view. Operating 24/7 in all lighting and weather conditions, these solutions carry out robust and intelligent real-time object detection, tracking, identification, and classification. They detect intruders, pinpoint their exact location, and track their movement.
- LiDAR-based monitoring inside terminal buildings can be very useful to monitor black-listed individuals as they move within the terminal without invading the privacy of others. This information when combined with CCTV footage can be a veryvaluable tool in tracking those who, they came in contact with, through their journey inside the terminal buildings.
- ANPR & OFC based Traffic Monitoring help identify the vehicles, direction, and speed of vehicles. Integrating this with the CCC, operators can monitor vehicles illegally parked on the ramps, traveling in the wrong direction and their speeds, to respond quickly and resolve untoward incidents. Operating 24/7 in all lighting and weather conditions, these solutions carry out robust and intelligent real-time object detection, tracking, identification, and classification.
The Significance of Systems Integration
The airport security market is estimated to reach $24.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period. While airports are increasingly investing in multiple sophisticated tools and systems to strengthen their security posture, most of these tools operate in silos, restricting visibility and transparency across the premises. Given the complexity of each tool, there is a pressing need to bring the products together and integrate them into a coherent whole.
As airfields worldwide are susceptible to increasing intrusion and attacks, an effective and cohesive security system is urgently needed. A centralised and integrated solution with an intelligent command and control system can combine different solutions with different objectives and revolutionise airport security.
- End-to-end visibility: Acohesive and unified security setupcan seamlessly assimilate data from various systems and provide a definitive view of operations across the airport ecosystem. Such end-to-end visibility can help improve the security of each aspect of airport operations, whether at check-in counters, on runways, or on baggage belts.
- Actionable alerts: When airport security systems are properly integrated, they can enable a higher probability of detection while helping reduce nuisance alarms. Actionable alerts can allow airport security to take quick and practical steps to thwart attacks and safeguard people and assets from harm.
- Improved decision-making: Robust systems integration can enablea multi-layered approach to security management. When equipped with Deep Learning and discernment algorithms, the central monitoring system cananalyse inputs from each sensorand help with critical decisions.
- Seamless management: Systems integration allows for easy and seamless management of multiple individual solutions. By combining disparate IT systems from different vendors into a single platform, systems integration can simplify the management of third-party tools to form a modern, integrated end-to-end solution.
Case Study
The security of a significantairfield was becoming a challenge, given the large perimeter's length coupled with infrastructure, civilian housing, and people and vehicle movement next to the boundary wall.
An extensive site survey and deep interaction with the client helped unearth pain points and expectations from the security system. A team of experts curated the overall security strategy and implementation plan, while another team was deputed to the project site to undertake incremental improvements.
By implementing and integrating the OFC-based perimeter security and drainage intrusion detection system, the client could boost its overall security infrastructure. The integrated system facilitates around-the-clock monitoring of the security of the sensitive airbase.
Transform your Airport Security with Athena Security
Airports worldwide face an imminent challenge of attacks. This has increased the adoption of sophisticated security solutions, but most operate inisolation. If you want to enhance the overall security of your airport premises, you need to integrate all these systems into one cohesive solution.
At Athena, we believe in implementing technology solutions that secure aviation assets 24/7. Our integrated solutions combine the best technology with deep industry know-how to deliver end-to-end projects across the airport perimeter. Our specialized and well-trained workforce efficiently analyses, plans, and implements solutions that best suit the security requirements of modern airports. We also embrace the top trends in perimeter security and intrusion detection, offering a contemporary and innovative solution that allows you to run your airport operations seamlessly.
