Frankfurt Airport in Germany is testing a new walk-through security scanner from Rohde & Schwarz.
The R&S QPS Walk2000 is designed to speed up security checks by keeping passengers moving. Passengers simply walk through the scanner at a normal pace without stopping. The first of these scanners is currently in use in Frankfurt’s Concourse A of Terminal 1. The test and evaluation phase is set to last up to six months and will provide the airport and Rohde & Schwarz with important information to help optimize the system.
The R&S QPS Walk2000 is a 360° walk-through scanner that is designed to detect all kinds of items quickly and contact-free. The millimeter wave technology can penetrate multiple layers of clothing, making it unnecessary to remove jackets and coats, for example.
AI based detection software automatically identifies metallic and non-metallic objects. Any anomalies detected on passengers are displayed in real time on a unisex avatar, reducing the need for follow-up checks. If, however, a check is needed, security staff can focus on the areas that have triggered an alarm instead of patting down the passenger.
Airport operator Fraport acquired and set up the R&S QPS Walk2000, but it is the German Federal Police who are responsible for all security-related tests and will ultimately grant approval for use in day-to-day operations.
The test phase at Frankfurt Airport aims to provide a direct comparison of the R&S QPS Walk2000 and the R&S QPS201 scanners already installed and reveal any immediate differences. The collaborative trial installation aims to make walk-through security checks for passengers just as reliable as those provided by the R&S QPS201.
