Page 30 - Security Today, April 2018

Security Sparks Growth
Advances in video management software and systems integration are creating positive new uses for video data at airports—well beyond security
BAy Courtney Dillon Pedersen
ccording to Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), national and foreign airlines serving the Unit- ed States in 2016 carried an all-time high of 932 mil- lion domestic and international passengers—with a total of 9.7 million flights. This was a 3.8 percent in-
crease over the previous record high of 897 million reached in 2015.1 That is a lot of customers on the move.
Many airports today—traditionally spaces where travelers were content to buy a book and stare at the departure boards—are start- ing to look a lot like shopping malls. In addition to the expected newsstands, simple cafes, and locally-made gift shops, they are now being joined by national retailers, food chains and other services. PDX airport in Portland, Oregon, even features a small, independent movie theater and a collection of the city’s popular food carts and, of course, some great local brewery stands.
The strategy makes sense. With the decline in shopping mall pop- ularity and a rise in online buying, many businesses are desperate for busy new places to set up shop. And, with air travel at an all-time high, many airports are working to upgrade their terminals, making them more comfortable, competitive and profitable for all involved.
With all this growing activity, existing video systems are being tapped to assist in this effort.
“As video becomes smarter, and as cameras come down in cost, many people are asking, ‘Can we add a camera here? Can we use a
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camera to perform a new function?’ Cameras aren’t just serving the purpose of security alone. The use of video at airports is becoming quite varied,” explained an airport video security technician.
Advancements Elevate Beyond Security
Public safety sits at the heart of airport operations. From the control tower to the tarmac, from the terminals to the taxi curb, airports are constantly adapting to meet potential threats identified by the secu- rity leadership and federal authorities. At the same time, they note that advances in software and systems integration have created uses that go beyond security.
“There has been a real philosophy change at airports,” added a veteran aviation/IT specialist. “As airport executives see the multiple benefits of video management systems, we’re being asked to find new and better ways to use and grow our business all the time. It’s a natu- ral expansion of the system’s technology.”
The expanded role of cameras and open platform network VMS like Milestone XProtect, is helping airports leverage video data in many new ways.
Retail and vendor management. Running a business in an airport can be tough. Many retailing problems are unique to airports, such as how to get merchandise through Customs and security and onto a selling floor that is compact and limited in available space. Deal- ing with longer business hours, the density of walk-through traffic
AIRPORT SECURITY