Security UAV (drone) integration into the security plan for FIA18. A brief insight into how we operated and the benefits that it provided to the multi-agency control room.

1. Case Study

2. Case Study
Farnborough International Airshow 2018:
Providing a dynamic UAV security service
In July 2018 Airvis Ltd provided a UAV security provision, to Farnborough International
Airshow. This case study provides a summary of the events that took place and describes
how Airvis Ltd were able to successfully provide their services.
It is provided in open source format; to highlight the key learning points for colleagues
across the industry to take away. It is therefore highly recommended that all event
management, safety consultants and safety officers familiarise themselves with the content
of this document, to provide a guideline and propose a benchmark on UAV security service
delivery, particularly in areas of mass crowd congregation.
Summary
Over a period of meetings in 2017, Airvis Ltd were requested to provide a comprehensive
proposal and operating plan to Farnborough International Ltd, for the provision of a UAV
security service. Its purpose; to enable a sustained aerial overwatch of the Airshow,
bolstering the existing CCTV network and ensuring a flexible and dynamic response to
critical incidents.
It should be noted that as this document is provided for educational purposes in open
source format; particulars relating to sensitive information have been redacted, for
operational security purposes.

3. Our Approach
Senior Leadership
An amalgamation of relevant military and security expertise ensured that the
comprehensive framework required to safely deliver this provision was approved by all
agencies and stakeholders.
Personnel
Identified and selected specifically for this task, only personnel with proven experience in
delivering protective services in austere or high-risk environments were deployed.
Agencies and Stakeholders
Operating UAVs on an active airfield during flight displays, with crowds in excess of 30,000
people demanded the strictest risk mitigation, prior to agency and stakeholder permissions.
Airvis Ltd.’s framework and strategy were approved by Farnborough International Ltd
(FIL), National Air Traffic Service (NATS), Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire Fire and
Rescue Service and others, over a period of meetings and planning collaboration.
Technical Response
Ensuring that our team could operate in varying weather conditions from a remote location,
with a standby requirement for a dynamic sustained deployment in place in the event of a
major incident; required the leading industry equipment.
Our aircraft are enterprise grade aircraft, IP rated (weather resistant) with an abundance
of built in safety features. Equipped with a 180x imaging system and higher capacity
intelligent dual batteries resulted in extraordinary visual coverage of the airfield and
beyond, and minimal down time during battery changes; offering a significantly reduced
turnaround time, critical in times of incidents and ingress/egress periods.

4. Our team operated from remote locations, therefore required the use of our operational
support vehicles. These service specific vehicles (built specifically for this role by Airvis Ltd)
provides UAV teams with LCD screens, seating, workstations, IT systems, electricity,
lighting, heating/air conditioning and welfare provisions on location.
Ensuring enough battery supplies for sustained operations is a critical success factor. Airvis
Ltd utilise a systematic battery management programme, continually cycling batteries
throughout operations, maintaining a continual supply of “in use”, “ready for use” and
“charging”. With the ability to charge in remote locations through our support vehicles,
Airvis Ltd are capable of remaining airborne indefinitely (excluding battery hot swap
periods).
Communications
Airvis Ltd operated an Air Managers Desk from within the Show Control Office, commonly
known as Event Liaison Team (ELT), Command Post (CP), Operations Room or similar. All
relevant agencies to the show and airfield operated from the same open plan room,
therefore ensuring clear and effective communication between all.
With an ongoing media threat of hostile UAVs (any other unknown UAV within 1km from
the aerodrome boundary – ANO article 94B), police and security forces were instructed to
report any sightings of such nearby. A way to deconflict our aircraft from that
concern/threat was embedded, ensuring clear operating transparency and minimal
disruption to the show.
Airvis Ltd operated during air show flight displays on an active runway, thanks to a system
of communications to the ATC (Air Traffic Control) and FIL (Farnborough International Ltd)
through a hierarchy structure, embedded into the SCO. The Air Managers Desk maintained
direct communications with the UAV operators, utilising enhanced radio communications
(provided by a contractor), throughout the airfield. Utilising group messaging systems,
personnel GPS tracking and continual APK mapping updates ensured that our team were
always synchronised.

5. Data
Providing a live video feed into the SCO, enabling stakeholders and agency commanders to
make informed decisions in real time was a critical success factor. Camera control orders
were relayed through the Air Manager to the UAV operator in real time, therefore any
latency would have rendered this impossible.
Our UAV video feed was decoded and displayed permanently on the Air Managers Desk, but
with the option to mirror this onto the CCTV display wall offering visibility for all decision
makers.
Although our imagery was always recorded onto the CCTV Network Video Recorder when
airborne, we also had the capability to record directly onto our onboard UAV SD card,
ensuring redundancy in evidence should it be required. SD cards would be sealed in
evidence bags and handed to Hampshire Constabulary to maintain continuity of evidence.
Airvis Ltd maintained an operational deployment log, keeping records of all relevant
communications, requests, incidents and flight times. The records were transferred to a
digital log which allowed our team to review the up and down time over the week period.
This data can be used to establish KPIs for repetition of this project and forecast workloads.

6. Effective Range
Predetermined Landing Zones (LZs) were identified within our operations plans, enabling
our teams to operate from multiple locations as required. The effective detection range for
vehicles and persons, was 2.6km from a static position.

7. Successes
The mere ability to quickly deploy and offer rapid situational awareness of an incident, area,
casualty or threat offers better control of assets and hugely assists command composure.
This new ability promotes a sufficient and relevant response through visual evaluation and
confirmation of the scene. Providing a reduced level of risk exposure to responders (where
required) and minimizing the resilience impact elsewhere during response periods
(through considered resource deployment); promotes safer environments for all.
Our deployment was very quickly utilised by all agencies within the SCO to counter issues
that historically have maybe been very difficult or time and asset consuming to rectify.
Throughout the week deployment, Airvis Ltd were tasked by every agency within the SCO
on numerous occasions, to assist and support their objectives. Some notable incidents /
requests were:
1. Fire on a residential property on the airfield flight approach created a large smoke plume,
which caused concern to the Airshow operations. The UAV team provided an overwatch of
this from over 1km away, allowing the LA (Local Authority) fire officer on site and FIL to
make informed decisions, thus resulting in the runway (24 approach) to remain open and
the trade show to continue, ensuring minimal down time.
2. Traffic management requested overwatch of a main pedestrian crossing, to assess its use
and any in-situ H&S concerns that may need addressing.

8. 3. Spectators on a neighbouring property used a scissor lift (MWEP) to gain an elevated
advantage of the Airshow. This lift was overcrowded, contained children and had a potential
to fall into the site. This was identified by the UAV team during routine aerial
reconnaissance.

9. 4. Persons with an unknown intention gained entry to a restricted Danger Zone area, under
the runway climb out section. Such a vast area with plenty of concealment rendered them
impossible to detect by ground personnel, however they were identified during a routine
reconnaissance patrol and tracked by the UAV. Security were directed in to the location and
escorted them out. This resulted on continuation of the flight displays, as otherwise would
have resulted in all displays being postponed and/or cancelled.

10. 5. The UAV team provided general overwatch during the pyrotechnic displays. This
provided all agencies with real time assessment on any H&S concerns.
6. The UAV team provided real time identification of a low altitude helicopter’s intention,
identifying it as legitimate photography contractors, thus enabling the agencies to focus on
other tasks without concern.

11. 7. The UAV team provided a fire picket and overwatch during the pyrotechnics and
subsequent fires that resulted due to the significant prolonged summer temperatures prior
to the show. Although these were expected and controlled, it allowed agencies to assess how
their assets were being utilised, provide quick and effective response and monitor wind
direction of the smoke plume and any effect on the crowd as it dispersed.

12. 8. The UAV team provided a sustained overwatch of the primary ingress points to monitor
crowd footfall and identify any potential suspicious activity or people prior to entering the
venue. Our team are Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensed CCTV operators, therefore
are permitted to use PTZ CCTV systems in public areas.

13. 9. The UAV team provided a security overwatch of the VIP and delegates vehicle staging
area, greatly assisting in the general overall security operation.

14. 10. The UAV team provided assistance to the medical team by means of greater situational
awareness in locating reported casualties, enabling a quicker response and subsequent
treatment.
11. The UAV team provided routine security patrols of the out of bounds / restricted areas,
increasing the intruder and suspicious person detection capability in general.

15. 12. The UAV team provided general crowd flow monitoring for security and health and
safety considerations. Not only does this allow for real time crowd dynamics, it further
provides a previously unseen perspective during the review phase; which, in the process of
such, may result in changes to structure and environment design and layout for future
shows.

16. 13. The UAV team provided situational awareness for the traffic management team of the
on and off-site car parks. The offsite car parks are large green areas approximately 1km
away, with no CCTV coverage. Our team were able to provide real time visual information
on their capacity.

17. 14. The UAV team provided behavioural detection during routine security monitoring,
advising security and police forces of any suspicious behaviour. The UAV provides a
superior method due to its elevation above ground level, particularly in crowded areas
where traditional methods may struggle, or require excessive manpower.

18. 15. The UAV team identified developing H&S concerns such as the example below; whereby
a crowd gathered on a vehicle ingress and access route for emergency vehicles. Security was
dispatched to implement mitigation and ensure high visibility control of the area.
16. The UAV team provided an effective overwatch of the egress bus staging area to monitor
queue duration and flow, to determine its efficiency.

19. 17. The UAV team assisted the security and police forces during egress. The UAV provided
an overwatch of the segregation line as the crowds were ushered towards the exits,
identifying any person in hiding or seeking to avoid this process.

20. 18. During regular aerial patrols, the UAV team identified unattended items, previously
unseen by ground security. Providing an overwatch and a real time video feed into the
control room, allowed security and police forces to take the appropriate response and
action.

21. The owners of unattended items were reunited and offered information on safe storage,
ensuring that these incidents are reduced in the future and a safer environment promoted.

22. 19. The UAV team provided a security detail overwatch during VIP transit throughout the
venue. This provision offered the relevant agencies greater environmental and situational
awareness in real time.

23. Feedback and Testimonials
Excellent capability that fed images back to the Show Control Ops Room.
[Chief of Staff – British Army]
The provision of this enhanced capability was a significant asset to the show management. The
team are consummate professionals who are entirely reliable and very trustworthy. They are
a great asset to have available.
[Crisis Response, Planning & Business Continuity]
The enhanced situational awareness proved invaluable to all partners, providing valuable
imagery and understanding of risk. Good co-ordination with NATS to operate the platform
within a high-risk environment.
[Police Operations]
You have set the benchmark now, they will consider this asset as par to the show furniture
going forward. The capability and outcome provided during some of the incidents could not
have been achieved without you.
[Show Operations Manager]
Thank you so much for all your assistance and support to our operations, it was highly effective
and extremely useful.
[Emergency Planning & Resilience – Hampshire County Council]

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