Synectics

Prioritizing passenger satisfaction alongside safety, security and operational efficiency is a challenge that has given rise to a widespread interest in the concept of ‘Intelligent Airports’, where everything and everyone, is connected.

With evolved surveillance solutions airport operators have the means to interrogate and filter airport-wide data, creating situational awareness that can improve efficiency and enhance the passenger experience, making this ambitious concept a reality.

Synectics will be explaining how at this year’s British-Irish Airports Expo (stand D25), taking place at Birmingham’s NEC, where technology used by some of the world’s busiest airports will be showcased.

Surveillance solutions developed by Synectics, support airports, airlines and transport hubs across the globe, protecting over 3 billion passengers every year.

According to Greg Alcorn, Divisional Director for Transport & Infrastructure, one of the fastest ways to make the transition to being an Intelligent Airport, is to utilize surveillance, an established and familiar technology.

Alcorn said: “Airport operators are no strangers to surveillance. It has been part of their DNA for decades. However, solutions have now evolved to offer more than video verification. Many, like our command and control solution Synergy 3, unify and contextualize data from disparate, third-party systems to produce actionable intelligence and – through system interoperability – provide a mechanism for implementing a truly ‘joined up’ response that breaks down any barriers traditionally created by operational siloes.

“The level of situational awareness and control this capability offers ensure threats are identified quickly and events which may previously have slipped through silo cracks aren’t missed. Also, by utilizing dynamic incident workflows to pair this intelligence with next steps on-screen guidance (tailorable to specific Standard Operating Procedures), response efficiency and consistency are guaranteed.”

According to Synectics, this holistic view also offers airport operators the ability to identify and address operational issues and commercial opportunities ? increasingly making use of digitization and automation.

Alcorn continued: “For example, passenger experience can be streamlined through automated monitoring and management of un-manned baggage drops and check-in bottlenecks. Footfall through terminals can be analyzed to maximize profitability without impeding passenger flow. Live flight data can be used to automatically － passenger information points – all to support delivery of a safe, secure, efficient and connected service at every step of the passenger journey.”

Visitors to the Synectics’ stand will be able to learn about how platforms such as Synergy 3 are aiding broader interoperability ? assisting closer working relationships between airports and external agencies. The most recent project using this leading-edge technology is Jakarta Airport Terminal 3 Ultimate, the southern hemisphere’s busiest airport.

Alcorn concluded: “Airports need to be able to share information and collaborate with emergency services, government agencies, customs units, police, local authorities, and connecting transport providers – particularly as cities become ‘smarter’. The same integration and interoperability principles that connect internal business units make it possible to protect passengers from front gate to departure gate.”

Synectics’ solutions are found in environments where security and surveillance are critical, including transport and infrastructure, high security, public space, oil and gas and gaming. Offices located in the UK, Germany, US, UAE, Singapore and Macau, provide sales and technical support to customers operating throughout the world.