FLYSEC Final Review

FLYSEC successfully passes its Final Review by achieving remarkable results in innovation!

Τhe FLYSEC project, Optimising time-to-FLY and enhancing airport SECurity, addressed the European Union’s research priority for improving the aviation security chain and aligned with the roadmap and recommendations reflected within the IATA/ACI Smart Security programme, by facilitating the three main principles specified in Smart Security: strengthened security, increased operational efficiency and improved passenger experience. The ultimate aim of FLYSEC was to demonstrate the value of risk-based security in terms of efficiency of security checks and security check lines, uncompromised level of security along with passenger satisfaction and experience at the airports. The alignment between FLYSEC and the IATA/ACI Smart Security programme paved the path for the promotion of FLYSEC into a certified Smart Security implementation.

The FLYSEC final review was held in September 2018 in Brussels, Belgium with published results available here. The overall assessment of the FLYSEC project is that it has fully achieved its objectives and milestones by delivering exceptional results with significant immediate or potential impact in the three areas of innovation, namely airport security continuum, risk based security and passenger experience. Project Officer, David RIOS MORENTIN, writes in his final review “A risk based approach to aviation security at airports has important societal benefits. FLYSEC can contribute to efficiencies at airports by identifying low risk passengers who can quickly proceed through security checkpoints, be directed to the shortest queue. This will enhance the passengers experience and allow the passenger time to enjoy the amenities at the airport including retail opportunities.”

FLYSEC also achieved remarkable results regarding the technical maturation of system components and system integration and demonstration in real operational conditions.  The use of the iCrowd embedded simulator in the integrated with risk-based assessment deep learning algorithms and tools in the C2I (Control, Command and Information) OCULUS Air System provides a powerful comprehensive environment for real time risk-based security implementation not only for airports but across all three border-crossing modalities: air, land and sea.

The Risk-Based Security method implemented in FLYSEC fully reflects the EU high standards in terms of fundamental values and principles in human rights, privacy and ethics. “Risk-based security implemented in FLYSEC fully reflects the high standards the EU stands for in terms of fundamental values and principles in human rights, privacy and ethics,” stresses Dr Dimitris M. Kyriazanos, FLYSEC’s Technical and Ethics manager. By applying smarter and non-discriminatory security, the project’s solutions “avoid treating all people horizontally as potential suspects by avoiding discrimination and questionable practices still applied in several airports worldwide, and focus on the real-time perception and fair, unbiased analysis of actual risks.”

FLYSEC developed and demonstrated an innovative, integrated and end-to-end airport security process for passengers, by enabling a guided and streamlined procedure, from landside to airside and into the boarding gates, implemented through the Final field test at Luxembourg airport in February 2018. This marked the first deployment of the FLYSEC innovative airport risk based screening and security concept in an actual operational airport environment with Lux-Airport security personnel, practitioners and security managers operating the FLYSEC system and components.  FLYSEC, thus offers, for the first time, an operationally validated innovative concept for end-to-end airport risk-based security by facilitating risk-based screening to achieve a measurable increase of throughput at airports while simultaneously improving passenger facilitation and customer service, bringing Security as a Service into the airport of tomorrow. The successful Lux Airport field test marked the first implementation of IATA/ACI SMART SECURITY within the EU research programme through the deployment and integration of new technologies and repurposing of existing solutions resulting in a risk-based security paradigm shift.

The exploitation activities  have just begun and are aiming towards a commercial version of the individual FLYSEC components and a certified risk based airport security system in the long term. Risk based security within the EU research framework is now tested in other land border modalities as well (land and sea ports).

The FLYSEC risk-based security framework and technology is being expanded to cover all three border-crossing modalities, namely land, sea and air, in an integrated manner through the EU funded H2020 security research project TRESSPASS aiming to bring the technologies associated with risk-based security to TRL 7 at the end of this project.

FLYSEC has given us (the Consortium partners) a deeper understanding of what is involved in implementing risk-based security, has made us aware of the technological challenges, and has given us the resources to develop methodologies, tools and technology to building systemic solutions for demonstrating the validity and applicability of the concept of risk-based security and expanding it in other border crossing modalities.

The consortium successfully tackled the problem of risk-based airport security. “Ultimately, FLYSEC demonstrates the value of risk-based security in terms of efficiency of security checks and security check lines, uncompromised level of security along with passenger satisfaction and experience at airports,” concludes Project Coordinator, Dr Stelios Thomopoulos, “We offered proof that a smarter, fairer and more ethical security model based on analysing actual risks exists and can be applied within the airport environment, effectively challenging the status quo that seriously compromises passenger experience.”

The FLYSEC project video can be viewed here 

You may also connect with FLYSEC through our Social Media:

Twitter: @H2020FLYSEC

LinkedIn Group: FLYSEC

Project Information :

FLYSEC  «Optimising time-to-FLY and enhancing airport SECurity»

Grant agreement ID: 653879

Start Date: May 1, 2015

End Date: July 31, 2018

Funded under: H2020-EU.3.7. - Secure societies - Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens

Overall Budget: € 4 141 375

Coordinated by: National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications, Integrated Systems Laboratory

Partners: EXODUS ANONYMOUS ETAIREIA PLIROFORIKIS, ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD, I.C.T.S. UK LIMITED, EMZA VISUAL SENSE LTD, CG SMARTECH LTD, EASC EV, SOCIETE DE L AEROPORT DE LUXEMBOURG SA, UNIVERSITE DU LUXEMBOURG, EMBRY – RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, EPSILON INTERNASIONAL SA