Rohde & Schwarz and Fraport evaluate the world’s first walk-through scanner for passengers

The R&S QPS Walk2000 is a 360° walk-through scanner that can detect all kinds of items quickly and contact-free. The scanner provides a more pleasant security experience: passengers do not have to stop to be scanned and can instead slowly walk through the R&S QPS Walk2000. The millimeterwave technology can also penetrate multiple layers of clothing, making it unnecessary to remove jackets and coats, for example. This makes a big difference in terms of comfort and personal privacy when going through security.

AI based detection software automatically identifies metallic and non-metallic objects. Any anomalies detected on passengers are accurately displayed in real time on a unisex avatar, reducing the need for follow-up checks. If, however, a check is needed, security staff can focus on the areas that have triggered an alarm instead of patting down the passenger.

The joint evaluation of the walk-through scanner at Frankfurt Airport by the German Federal Police and Fraport is yet another example of the continued excellent collaboration between Fraport and Rohde & Schwarz since Fraport assumed management of the airport’s security checks. Fraport acquired and set up the R&S QPS Walk2000, but it is the German Federal Police who are responsible for all security-related tests and will ultimately grant approval for use in day-to-day operations. The aim of the walk-through scanner is to make security checks faster and more comfortable for passengers while maintaining the same high level of security. The checkpoints selected for the test phase are in the Schengen Concourse A of Terminal 1. This concourse is ideal for such a test due to its high foot traffic: on average, 15,000 passengers use this concourse every day.

The test phase at Frankfurt Airport aims to provide a direct comparison of the R&S QPS Walk2000 and the tried and tested R&S QPS201 scanners already installed and reveal any immediate differences. The collaborative trial installation aims to make walk-through security checks for passengers just as reliable as the highly efficient checks provided by the R&S QPS201.

About Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport

Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, Fraport AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange, MDAX) is one of the world leading players in the global airport business. Fraport’s portfolio of companies spans four continents with activities at 29 airports worldwide. In pre-pandemic 2019, more than 182 million passengers used airports actively managed by Fraport. Impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Fraport’s Group airports welcomed only about 146 million passengers in 2022. Fraport AG generated revenue of €3.2 billion and profit of some €167 million in fiscal year 2022 (Dec. 31).

Fraport’s home-base Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is strategically located in the heart of Europe at the junction of vital intermodal road, rail and air networks. The surrounding Frankfurt Rhine-Main-Neckar region serves as an economic powerhouse and logistics hub for Europe and the world. In 2019, FRA welcomed more than 70.5 million passengers and handled 2.1 million metric tons of cargo. Only 48.9 million passengers travelled through FRA in 2022, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Cargo volumes reached 2.0 million metric tons in 2022. Based on the latest ranking for 2021, FRA ranks first for cargo in Europe.