An earlier blog story reported on how thermal imaging cameras can enhance security of large sites, such as airfields, allowing for the identification of suspicious activity at a distance of many hundreds of metres. A particular beneficial attribute of thermal imagaing cameras is their ability to penetrate forested areas and see through light fog, rain and smoke.Thermal imaging cameras were also essential in ensuring the security of this year’s G8 Summit in Germany. The G8 installation included eleven daylight cameras mounted on a Pan/Tilt mechanism, twenty-two FLIR Systems SR-35 thermal imaging cameras and 8 mobile FLIR Systems FlashSight thermal imaging cameras. The system was backed up by over 3,200 metres of sensor wires in the surrounding forest soil.
The twenty-two FLIR Systems SR-35 thermal imaging cameras were installed along the security fence at 400m intervals. They were securing the area in front of the fence and were making sure that no one could approach the fence, or even worse climb it. The thermal imaging cameras overlooked the area 24 hours a day. The SR-35 can detect a human being at a distance of over 500 metres.
The eight FLIR Systems FlashSight handheld thermal cameras were carried by the police when they were patrolling the fence or other secured areas. The FlashSight is a portable thermal imaging camera. Weighing less than 1 kg, it is ideal for go-anywhere operations. It can be used for over 7 hours running on only 4 standard AA lithium batteries.
The use of thermal imaging cameras is included in the syllabus of the new Specifying Security Technology Course, 21 - 25 July 2008.
