The UK Government Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is making more funding available for enhance aviation security products, through the Future Aviation Security Solutions (FASS) programme.
FASS – a joint initiative between the Department for Transport (DfT) and Home Office – will provide up to £1m for products for the screening of passengers and cargo at airports. The aim; shorter queues and faster screening while giving more effective security.
Home Office Security Minister, Ben Wallace, said: “Ensuring that the UK is a world leader in aviation security is a key objective of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. This is another example of bringing together government, industry and experts to ensure that the UK remains on the front foot and a global leader in the development of technologies that keep the public safe. I look forward to seeing new ideas which improve security and make for a better experience at airports for passengers.”
This funding will be made available to industry and academia through DASA’s Open Call for Innovation focus areas – many of which focus on aviation. DASA is also seeking proposals that can boost the screening of aviation cargo.
Around 80pc of air cargo is carried on passenger aircraft; hence screening so that prohibited items are not part of flown cargo.
DASA is requesting proposals from industry and academia through its Open Call for Innovation focus areas:
1) Finding suspected threats on passengers during airport screening: hand-held solutions that will help detect both metallic and non-metallic threats on the body while reducing the need for person-person contact, particularly in harder-to-search areas of the body.
2) Matching passengers with their x-ray trays during airport screening: solutions to ensure airport passengers are correctly linked to the x-ray trays they are using to put their personal effects through scanners.
And ideas that would help increase the speed, accuracy and volume at which cargo is screened.
The next deadline to submit proposals for this security funding is May 2.
