Security Technologies Take Flight

Artificial intelligence and the cloud provide airports with efficiencies, regulatory compliance

Airports present unique challenges when it comes to security and safety because of their size, risk profile and multiple access points. At the same time, passenger traffic has increased significantly in recent years.

Physical access control solutions are essential to keeping airports safe and secure by ensuring that only authorized individuals gain entry to restricted zones and maintaining oversight over access privileges. As risks and the scope of the airport market change, more modern options – those that leverage open platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) and the cloud – are gaining traction for their ability to integrate with biometrics and credentials. Combining the strengths of these technologies results in multilayered verification.

These technologies work alongside other security investments, such as video surveillance and intrusion detection, to create a holistic strategy. This approach allows security teams to operate more efficiently, which is crucial in the high-stakes airport environment.

Navigating Regulatory Complexity

Airports operate under strict regulatory frameworks enforced by agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. A security technology must be auditable and capable of adapting to evolving threats and regulatory changes. New technologies help ensure compliance while offering the ability to adjust as additional security requirements emerge.

Airports face many operational challenges, from managing unpredictable passenger flows to balancing resources. AI is helping to transform operations by augmenting operators’ decision-making, resulting in higher levels of efficiency and adaptability. As traditional hardware-based security infrastructures slowly migrate to AI and cloud platforms, airports are shifting toward more flexible and seamless solutions.

Purpose-built AI engines designed for access control provide unique value by accounting for the nuances of security operations. For example, operators can submit a query like, “Show me all access denied events from last month,” and the AI system will deliver immediate insights. This eliminates time-consuming and complex manual data searches and accelerates response times.

Predictive analytics can also forecast passenger flow trends, enabling better staffing levels and overall resource allocation. AI-enabled access control also helps operators identify potential problems, such as frequent access denials or suspicious activity in mission-critical areas. By merging AI with cloud-native platforms, airports gain new levels of efficiency and adaptability.

Enhancing the Experience

Airports try to balance security with delivering a pleasant passenger experience. Long queues and complex security screening processes can hinder operations and frustrate travelers. By integrating intelligent physical access control, airports are able to streamline identity verification using biometrics and ID scanning. This speeds up the flow of passengers and enhances operational oversight.

DAA, formerly the Dublin Airport Authority, in Ireland provides examples of using modern technology to ensure both happy passengers and high security. Since 2006, it has relied on an enterprise-grade security platform to support staff and passenger activity monitoring, streamlining operations from a single hub. It also promotes vital airport functions, including U.S. preclearance, immigration control and boarding pass verification while facilitating regulatory compliance.

DAA has elevated its security infrastructure across Dublin and Cork airports with a customized solution tailored to meet the needs of the aviation sector. The platform provides robust security measures from landside to airside, controlling gate access and managing U.S. Customs and Border Protection processes while integrating with third-party systems like DAA’s Enterprise Service Bus, loyalty program and fire control systems.

Back to the Future

A distributed, intelligent access control framework can help to meet the high availability demands of airport environments. In particular, a layered solution that ensures host and database redundancy, communications redundancy and access point redundancy enhances security and safety, optimizes resources, and protects investments.

By integrating new technologies, such as AI and the cloud, airports can create more intelligent, secure environments that ensure safety today while staying adaptable to the demands of tomorrow.