Vehicle-Bound Mobile Surveillance Solution from InfraTec
2012 marked an important milestone for the Eastern European Countries of Poland and the Ukraine – the jointly rganized UEFA European Football Championship 2012. While this kind of events generate a wide public attraction there are certain background activities which contribute to a seamless progress significantly: Security and logistics are two core tasks to be handled by the relevant local authorities.
Both countries invested more than 38 Million Euro into the infrastructure and transportation logistics required for such an extended event. Part of this investment contained budgets for security and surveillance projects as well. The massive security activities related to such huge events cannot be avoided nowadays due to permanent impending threats of terroristic activities. In Poland one security project included the implementation of a number of mobile surveillance solutions to be used for protection of the Polish railways. They had been realized by outfitting 4x4 driven Mercedes Sprinter vans with state-of-the-art video surveillance and recording equipment. The extended missions to be carried out from these vehicles also required extended modifications of the operators’ compartment. Technology integration was the driving factor, but aspects of comfort and ergonomics had to be considered as well.
InfraTec Solution
Company AGTES S.A.
Vehicle-Bound Mobile Surveillance Solution
InfraTec solution
VarioCAM®-series
Placed on top of an extendable mast a mid-range CCTV system was paired with a thermal camera VarioCAM®-series. Both systems are mounted on individually controllable pan-tilt heads and can be conveniently controlled both from inside the van’s generously spaced desk section or a remote place. The decision in favour of the VarioCAM®-series was based on several factors. Equipped with excellent uncooled microbolometers with (640 x 480) IR-pixel based on amorphous silicon technology its telephoto lenses provide several kilometers of human detection range. InfraTec’s industrial project expertise supported the choice in favour of VarioCAM®-series because this camera system is globally used in a variety of monitoring tasks where cameras have to operate for many months or even years without interruption.
Thermal cameras utilizing the long-wave infrared spectrum (wavelength (7.5 … 14) µm) are very efficient detecting human and vehicle activities even in total darkness or through fog – without any active illumination support. This combination of passive tech-nology and range performance strongly supports the tactics of covert observations and command-/control-scenarios for intervention teams guided from these vehicles as well. The radiometrically calibrated systems also allow automatic, thermally tunable alarm signals for autonomous operation. While the all-terrain vehicles come with quite a conspicuous appearance their degree of mobility allows them to be parked in tactically good places to monitor all kinds of in-frastructure related to Polish railways.
In combination with InfraTec’s IRBIS® 3 software package continuous long-term observations can be conducted, monitored and stored – while initially designed as an autonomous software it actually has become an integrated part of the whole monitoring system. A highly user-friendly operation interface could be generated this way.
After the European Football Championship 2012 was over the surveillance vans did not went idle – they are now a valid part of the Polish Railways security infrastructure. They are used for prevent-ing theft of railway infrastructure, 24/7 monitoring of strategic rail facilities, support of regional law enforcement units and ensuring travellers safety.
InfraTec has realized this project in cooperation with the Polish distribution partner AGTES S.A. from Warsaw.
