Frankfurt Airport: Rohde & Schwarz and Fraport Evaluate the World’s First Walk-Through Scanner for Passengers

2023-09-19

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2023

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Frankfurt Airport: Rohde & Schwarz and Fraport Evaluate the World’s First Walk-Through Scanner for Passengers

Fraport began testing the world’s first walk-through security scanner for passengers at Frankfurt Airport. The R&S QPS Walk2000 from Rohde & Schwarz is designed to speed up security checks. The first of these scanners is currently in use in Concourse A of Terminal 1. Passengers simply walk through the scanner at a normal pace without stopping. The test and evaluation phase is set to last up to six months and will provide Fraport and Rohde & Schwarz with important information to help optimize the system.

The R&S QPS Walk2000 is a 360° walk-through scanner that can detect all kinds of items quickly and contact-free. The scanner provides a more pleasant security experience: passengers do not have to stop to be scanned and can instead slowly walk through the R&S QPS Walk2000. The millimeter-wave technology can also penetrate multiple layers of clothing, making it unnecessary to remove jackets and coats, for example. This makes a big difference in terms of comfort and personal privacy when going through security.

AI based detection software automatically identifies metallic and non-metallic objects. Any anomalies detected on passengers are accurately 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.

The joint evaluation of the walk-through scanner at Frankfurt Airport by the German Federal Police and Fraport is yet another example of the continued excellent collaboration between Fraport and Rohde & Schwarz since Fraport assumed management of the airport’s security checks. 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 aim of the walk-through scanner is to make security checks faster and more comfortable for passengers while maintaining the same high level of security. The checkpoints selected for the test phase are in the Schengen Concourse A of Terminal 1. This concourse is ideal for such a test due to its high foot traffic: on average, 15,000 passengers use this concourse every day.

The test phase at Frankfurt Airport aims to provide a direct comparison of the R&S QPS Walk2000 and the tried and tested 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 the highly efficient checks provided by the R&S QPS201.