Sandefjord Airport Torp in southeastern Norway, near Oslo, is using a video surveillance solution with Sony SNC-CS3P and Sony SNC-RZ30P network cameras to monitor different airport areas to prevent crime, both inside and outside the terminal.
The rapid growth in air travel in Europe over the last ten years combined with increasing awareness of threats to security, mean that airports regularly need to update their security measures. While some national authorities are rolling out biometric checks of fingerprints and iris scans at selected international airports, European airports are predominantly upgrading their video security technology. Sony has worked with a number of airports in Europe to supply solutions based on the best in digital, networked video surveillance to help to protect airports.
As well as serving as a valuable aid to public safety and security, network cameras also allow airport authorities to track, count and analyse passenger movements in a busy lounge or concourse in order to provide a better service to their customers. "Airports especially recognize the need to employ the best technology available. Intelligent cameras as part of an integrated network video monitoring solution can ensure enhanced security, with optimum visual quality and simple usability," stated Stephane Labrousse, General Manager, Sony Business Communications Marketing.
Sandefjord Airport Torp in southeastern Norway, near Oslo, is using a video surveillance solution with Sony SNC-CS3P and Sony SNC-RZ30P network cameras to monitor different airport areas to prevent crime, both inside and outside the terminal. Security control, check-in, entrance, car parks and the flight tower are among the monitored areas. The system captures and documents circumstances and incidents to improve security, and is the first stage in a major collaboration between Sandefjord Airport Torp, Electronic Security Products and Sony.
The SNC-CS3P IP camera is a high quality, but affordable network camera with superb picture quality, ensuring frame rate can be set as high as 25 fps at VGA resolution to smoothly view high-quality images. Its built-in web server allows images to be viewed and controlled from a PC running a standard web browser. This camera also accommodates advanced features such as activity detection and alarm trigger functions. While the SNC-RZ30P is a network video camera combining network with pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) functionality taking remote monitoring to the next step. The SNC-RZ30P features a 25x optical zoom capability that allows a user to zoom in on small or distant objects with exceptional clarity.
Capable of direct connection to any Local Area Network (LAN), the SNC-RZ30P can stream up to 25 frames per second of high quality colour images in 640x480 resolution, providing all details required for effective monitoring. Sandefjord Airport Torp will become an even safer airport for its passengers, and is presenting itself as a smart airport investing in a modern, cost-effective IP-based solution. The solution is being supplied by Electronic Security Products (ESP) in collaboration with Sony Norge. "Having reviewed Torp's requirements, we decided on Sony's intelligent cameras as offering the best functionality, with excellent quality visuals for this type of environment," said Bjorn Bekkevold, Chairman & CEO of ESP, Norway. "The collaboration with Sony is good, and our common efforts have already resulted in a state of the art electronic solution that improves security at the airport."
Dubrovnik airport on the Adriatic coast of Croatia is also using Sony network video cameras on a local network for surveillance purposes. The airport, which has seen a boom in international visitors in the last three years has deployed SNC-RZ30, SNC-CS3 and SNC-Z20 cameras to upgrade its security network. The fixed cameras, SNC-CS3 are in use in the baggage check-in area linked with a third-party baggage checking application. The PTZ cameras are deployed outside the airport buildings. These Sony IP cameras for outdoor use were selected for the benefit of the 25x optical zoom, a facility which is ideal to meet the needs of a large territory such as an airport. Sony's network video monitoring system is flexible enough to add to as required, which is a key consideration, with the current construction of a new terminal at Dubrovnik airport.
At Munich Airport, hospitality firm Allresto Hotel und Gaststätten GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of the airport, is coordinating staff in its different outlets using a digital camera network from Sony. This system of SNC-RZ30P pan-tilt cameras with 25x optical zoom allows the control centre to tell how many customers are currently in any one outlet, and to determine the appropriate number of staff required, allowing them to respond accordingly. Also if an airline advises that a flight has been delayed, for example, available staff can be redirected to bars and cafes where customers are expected to descend. The PTZ cameras can be controlled from any extension point on the system using a PC or laptop and a password. "Sony came out on top with the most flexible technology and the most reasonable cost," commented Harald Zettner, Allresto's planning and construction manager. The company operates more than 30 bars, restaurants and cafés in both public and non-public areas of Terminal 1, the Munich Airport Centre and Terminal 2.
Allresto is also responsible for running the conference centre Unicon, the Munich Airport Kempinski Hotel and the various casinos attached to the airport. The need to coordinate and control this large number of catering outlets meant that a video system was needed to monitor the flow of customers and passengers, and provide a better means of coordinating approximately 750 employees and the large-scale, rapid-response logistics operation required. The cameras can also be used for surveillance purposes. With the specific agreement of the Works Council, a suspicious individual can be monitored for an extended period of time. The Sony cameras have been installed in six different catering areas and the system has been so successful at Munich airport that Allresto plans to extend it over the next few months.
Pilot schemes to improve security and enhance customers' travel experience are already underway with Sony network video camera solutions, in selected other airports across Europe.
