Millimetre wave aviation security scanner

Trials of a real time millimetre wave imager have recently been conducted in the UK. The trials were conducted at London Gatwick airport and QinetiQ Farnborough. The aims of the trials were to evaluate passenger reaction to being screened by a millimetre wave imager, to assess the operational issues of using imaging technology to screen passengers in central search areas of airports, and to quantify the performance of the system using professional screeners who were trained to look for specific threat items. The results of the trial have suggested that public reaction to the possible introduction of the technology in UK airports has been favourable, and that the performance of the imager in detecting specific threat items concealed on passengers such as metal and ceramic weapons has been very encouraging. The performance of the system in detecting plastic explosives and more difficult threats is lower than that of ceramic and other weapons, but the overall performance achieved represents an important step forward in developing a reliable, safe and convenient means of screening passengers and staff in airports and other public places, where security is a prime concern.