Dallmeier video surveillance solutions contribute to airport security at Copenhagen Airport

Security requirements for airports of the size of Copenhagen airport are enormous

After two years' extensive market research Copenhagen Airport selected Dallmeier's Digital Matrix Solution. A large number of other products in the market were considered, however, they identified the Dallmeier system as the best for their specific requirements. Dallmeier was chosen for this extensive solution mainly because of its excellent picture quality, the flexibility afforded by the system architecture and the ease with which the new equipment could be integrated into the existing systems. The system has been running to the customer's utmost satisfaction for over two years. Thanks to the flexibility of the system architecture many expansions have been made during this time - and more are possible.

Copenhagen Airports A/S

Located just eight kilometres southeast of the Copenhagen city centre; Copenhagen Airport is in Kastrup, a town on the island of Amager. The airport is Scandinavia's main airport, and acts as the transfer airport for air traffic between other parts of the world and the many national and regional airports in Scandinavia and the area south of the Baltic Sea. Copenhagen Airport functions as the hub for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and belongs to the Star Alliance, a network of 15 international airlines that fly to a total of 772 airports in 133 countries. The airport is also the Scandinavian hub for DHL, the express air freight company.

The airport is owned and operated by Copenhagen Airports A/S, a company listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. There are about 22,000 employees in the many different companies that together provide the services around Copenhagen Airport. The three largest airlines serving Copenhagen Airport are SAS, Maersk Air and Sterling European. Direct connections are available from Copenhagen Airport to a total of 127 destinations worldwide, seven of which are in Denmark, 20 are in other Scandinavian countries, 78 are in other European countries and 22 are intercontinental airports.

Enormous security requirements

Security requirements for airports of this size are enormous. Specifications included the use of the existing IT infrastructure as well as support for IP multicasting. This enables a video data stream to be transmitted into the network only once, yet the video can be viewed at many different points (control points and operations centres) simultaneously. By using multicasting the network load is not increased, and the IP network itself ensures that all participants/viewers receive the desired CCTV picture. The Linux operating system, stored separately on a flash disk, was another important factor in favour of the Dallmeier solution because it ensures extremely high reliability of the total system.

More than 130 cameras at the airport are monitored, recorded, and, if necessary, their pictures transmitted via the IP network. By using MPEG-2 compression the camera pictures are delivered in real-time, top quality and with high picture repeat rates, thus ensuring that control of PTZ or dome cameras is straightforward. The broadcast quality video is stored in a ring memory which is automatically overwritten after seven days. Dome cameras installed at the terminals' check-in counters are moved according to preset positions. Fixed cameras are used to observe and monitor the gate locks and provide general observation around the airfield.

Digital Matrix for more than 130 cameras

In the airport security control room 28x DIS-1 systems act as receivers for the Digital Matrix. Live or recorded pictures from 32 of the 130 cameras can be displayed simultaneously by means of automatic control, event control or manual control. Other workstations can easily be added as required to receive pictures on a PC platform or an analogue monitor.

The preview on the PView screen offers a rough overview where four, nine or sixteen cameras can be displayed simultaneously in a video split. The current management is based on the new Dallmeier management system SeMSy® Professional together with OPC. Dallmeier also provides lots of interfaces for integration into higher level management systems or for their expansion; it would for example also be possible to support further tasks such as the control of flight information displays.

Trendsetting technologies

In the airport security control room 28x DIS-1 systems act as receivers for the Digital Matrix

Nowadays international airports are always planning to expand their existing security systems, and Copenhagen Airport is no different. The importance of trendsetting technologies in the motion detection field is - in addition to picture transmission and recording - increasing more and more.

The Dallmeier DI-Detector, DVS 600 III and SEDOR® technology are part of a range of products which are involved in intelligent picture evaluation and analysis. By using them it is possible to carry out event-controlled alarm switching more intelligently so that the camera pictures are evaluated according to different criteria - the aim being to support the user and relieve him of some work. In the airport world, besides perimeter fence monitoring where it is desirable to suppress false alarms caused by animals, lighting or weather conditions, another important current issue is deterring terrorism within terminal buildings.

By using SEDOR® technology the Dallmeier DI-Detector can recognise the arrival or removal of static objects. This allows the system to identify an unattended suitcase in a terminal and to trigger an appropriate alarm. However, other functions such as people counting at entrances and exits, number plate recognition at car park entrances and many other functions can also be implemented with the Dallmeier DI-Detector modules.

In conjunction with the Digital Matrix a powerful, intelligent security system can be generated which makes transmission, storage and evaluation of a multiplicity of cameras as easy as possible for the user. Christian Linthaler, Sales Manager at Dallmeier: "We have been collaborating with the Copenhagen Airport for many years now. The airport is constantly expanding the system and is meanwhile also using our Cam_inPIX® cameras with great success - they were convinced by the outstanding picture quality compared to the cameras they used to have. The responsible persons are totally satisfied with the technology. This proves once more that our philosophy "Quality made by Dallmeier, quality made in Germany" pays off in the long run."