The ever-growing need to track assets for safety and security reasons has led the Copenhagen Airport in Denmark to upgrade the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology it uses.

Copenhagen Airport is among the large number of organizations around the world that have been reviewing internal processes and procedures to reduce risks that could lead to costly insurance claims. A project was initiated in 2003 to track assets within the Copenhagen Airport’s perimeter. These assets include general maintenance vehicles, tractor units and snow-clearance convoys that need to be tracked 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The moving vehicles need to be monitored in all areas of the airport to prevent accidents, theft and security breaches.

Copenhagen Airport already had a mobile communication system operating within its perimeter but it had trouble with the tracking accuracy in areas of the airport the GPS signal could not reach. Examples of the gaps in coverage included underground parking lots and roadways adjacent to buildings that had fixed pedestrian bridges. The airport needed a system that would fit existing infrastructure and provide tracking accuracy in clear skies of five meters, and better than 25 meters in areas where the ability to receive GPS signals was greatly impaired.

The beneficiary of the contract to assist the airport is U.K.-based Chronos Technology Ltd., a GPS-technology company based in Lydbrook, Gloucestershire. Chronos, in conjunction with a partner, is providing the enhanced technology to the airport that will feature what its officials describe as a “revolutionary” new GPS service capable of tracking assets at extremely low signal strengths.

“Most major airports use GPS technology to help track vehicular and other assets,” said Chris Roberts, European business development manager at Chronos.

Airport officials tested commercially available GPS solutions but none of them had the tracking accuracy required for the project, Chronos said. However, Chronos demonstrated a new high sensitivity GPS receiver that proved to be the answer. The Chronos technology also monitors the status of other devices found on airport vehicles. For example, the system provides information about when a runway has been cleared, and not just whether the vehicles performing that task followed their pre-planned cleaning route.

The Chronos GPS sensor uses receiver architecture that facilitates communication of information with GPS satellites at extremely low signal strengths. As a result, service can be used in harsh urban canyon environments that include dense foliage or buildings. As a result, the GPS sensor reportedly is able to provide continuous asset- tracking when a vehicle moves to a garage or another location that lacks a clear view of the sky.

(Chris Roberts, Chronos Technology Ltd., 011 44 1594 862238)

Chronos At A Glance:

Strategic Focus: The Chronos Technology Group is a provider of and system integrator of technical solutions for telecommunications networks, satellite communications, remote- monitoring applications, line-of-site radio, wireless components for RF equipment designers, and Wi-Fi hotspot hardware and networks.

Address: Stowfield House, Upper Stowfield, Lydbrook, Gloucestershire GL17 9PD UK

Telephone: 011 44 (0) 1594 862 227

Fax: 011 44 (0) 1594 862211

Web site: http://www.chronos-group.com

Contact: Louise Davies, marketingcoordinator, [email protected]