Fortem to Participate in DHS Drone Detection Evaluation
Fortem Technologies says it has signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to participate in the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s Air Domain Awareness initiative that will focus on detecting, tracking and identifying aerial-based threats, including unmanned aircraft systems. Fortem says it’s SkyDome System, including the TrueView radar, will be used for the Air Domain Awareness effort. The Utah-based company also says its technologies will be used in testing in three different states on the northern U.S. border. Earlier this year,
DroneShield said it had also signed a CRADA to participate in the initiative. The initiative began in April in Grand Forks, N.D., and is expected to transition to Montana in August before moving to Michigan this fall for testing on Lake St. Clair in a maritime environment. S&T has signed CRADAs with 15 vendors to participate in some or all of the evaluations.
DHS S&T Seeks Comments on Public Perceptions of Emerging Technologies
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate is seeking comments from the public on their perceptions of emerging technologies. The survey will collect information regarding applications of artificial intelligence, including facial recognition. A notice in the May 13 Federal Register highlights that AI in general and facial recognition in particular are not without public controversy, including concerns about bias, security and privacy. “Therefore, understanding how the public perceives these technologies, and then designing and deploying them in a manner responsive to the public’s concerns, is critical in gaining public support for DHS’s use of these technologies,” the notice says. Commands will be accepted until July 12. Identify comments by docket number DHS-2021-0015 to http://www.regulations.gov.
DHS S&T, South Korea to Pilot Remote Viewing System for Checked Baggage
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has signed an agreement with South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) for a field evaluation of the S&T-funded Common Viewer Air System, which will enable the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection to remotely screen checked baggage before arriving in the U.S. and landing at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport from Incheon International Airport outside of Seoul. “The goal is to maintain strong security while enhancing the passenger experience and providing another means of contactless screening,” says David Taylor, S&T’s CBP Portfolio Manager. Donald Yando, CBP’s director of Field Operations in Atlanta, says that “CBP is appreciative of the partnerships that allow us to pilot the feasibility of screening images of every checked bag on an arriving flight before it lands in the U.S., all while enhancing the traveler’s experience by reducing the number of times they may need to collect and re-check baggage for connecting flights.” The Common View Air System is a cloud-based baggage pre-screening software system. Delta Air Lines will participate in the program, which will run this summer.
CBP Plans Refresh of Rail Cargo Inspection Systems
Customs and Border Protection says it plans to spend $46 million to replace aging rail scanning systems at 12 rail ports of entry on the southern and land borders with high-energy scanners. The new scanners use linear accelerators to generate X-Rays from electricity rather than radioisotopes to produce high quality images that support faster cargo inspections. The 12 rail ports of entry process about 60 percent of the rail cargo entering the U.S. The new scanners will begin installation this fall. “The high-quality images produced by the new rail cargo scanners will enhance CBP’s efforts to interdict stowaways, deadly narcotics, and other contraband while facilitating the flow of lawful trade,” says William Ferrara, executive assistant commissioner of the CBP Office of Field Operations. In July 2020, CBP awarded Leidos [LDOS], OSI Systems [OSIS], and Smiths Detection contracts to compete for up to $379 million in awards to provide high-energy non-intrusive inspection systems for scanning rail cargo entering the U.S.