Three Automatic Tray Return Systems (ATRS) installed at the security check-in of the international departure section of the Calicut International Airport to enhance aircraft security has become functional.
Chief Secretary V.P. Joy inaugurated the ₹8.78-crore ATRS through videoconferencing, and the system became operational with the security check-in of Dubai passengers of FlyDubai.
Regional Executive Director R. Madhavan, General Manager (CNS) V. Muruganandam, Airport Director Srinivasa Rao, Acting Airport Director Muhammad Shahid, CNS In-Charge and Joint General Manager Muneer Madampat, and JGM A. Haridas were present.
Each ARTS consists of an X-ray baggage inspection system (XBIS), server system, and a baggage handling system (BHS). Throughput of ATRS, manufactured by Nuctech, is 400 bags per hour.
BHS consists of sensor-driven rollers through which baggage trays are transported to output lines and automatically returned towards the baggage input area.
Bags will be placed in trays with independent RF tags and routed through rollers to the X-ray machine for screening and identification of threat items. While passing through XBIS, X-ray images will be generated leading to the screener for scrutiny of the bag.
Screener will get a minimum of eight seconds to examine the image. If the baggage is free of threats, he will ‘clear’ the bag, and it will be taken to the baggage collection area, where the passenger can retrieve it.
A specialised camera will continuously monitor the contents, and whenever its algorithm finds the tray is free, the boom barrier will be retracted, and the tray will be taken to the collector. The tray collector can hold up to seven trays at a time.
In case the screener finds the baggage as having ‘threats’, he can ‘reject’ the bag and from the divert Station it will be diverted to the ‘reject line’. In the ‘re-check station’, the second screener can check it manually. With the help of ‘RF tag reader’, the image from XBIS will be recalled at re-check monitor.
Another line with a single slot is available to send the ‘high-threat’ baggage. CNS Assistant General Manager Nandakumar N. and CNS Manager Smitha Prakash said it was the responsibility of the screener to alert BDDS for disposal of such high-threat bags.
