Standardised procedures for evaluating PIDS

The UK Home Office Scientific Development Branch, in partnership with the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, has been developing a suite of standards for the testing of barrier-mounted, ground-based and free-standing perimeter intruder detection systems (PIDS). These standards allow different technologies to be compared on a performance basis. Progress on development of these standards and subsequent evaluations is discussed. Particular emphasis is given to the recent trial of four buried PIDS using a purpose-built sand-filled trench. This is believed to have been the first ground-based PIDS evaluation conducted on more than two technologies within the same trench. It is expected to yield results on the extent to which such systems can be co-located without this compromising their performance.