Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) in Charlotte County, Fla., has deployed the Hakimo AI solution to enhance security and support Transportation Security Administration (TSA) compliance efforts.

One of the fastest-growing airports in the United States, PGD offers commercial service to more than 50 destinations in addition to supporting a large general aviation population. PGD turned to Hakimo to help monitor for and reduce incidents of unauthorized access by people and vehicles (piggybacking and tailgating) at the airport.

U.S. airports are required to implement access control measures to prevent unauthorized access as part of their airport security program which is approved and checked by the TSA. The Hakimo software helps address these requirements by applying artificial intelligence to the airport’s existing access control and video surveillance systems.

 “You can have countless policies and procedures in place, but you don’t really know what’s happening unless you have a guard at every access point,” said Raymond Laroche, director of operations and maintenance, PGD. “The Hakimo AI software is that guard.”

Samuel Joseph, co-founder and CEO, Hakimo, said, “It has been a privilege to work with the stellar security team at PGD to implement Hakimo’s advanced AI technology. PGD is already known in the aviation industry for their forward-thinking approach to security, and this further supports their vision.”

Hakimo AI algorithms make it possible to automatically analyze video corresponding to every badge swipe and detect piggybacking or tailgating by looking at the number of unique individuals or vehicles going through the opening, generating a real-time alert. This provides organizations with a scalable way to accurately determine piggybacking or tailgating. For compliance and forensic purposes, they can also share video clips with external authorities.

The Hakimo software also helps change behavior in support of security programs. It can automatically send an email to a badge holder when there’s a tailgating violation, or the security team can speak with them directly to let them know about the issue.

With actionable insights from the Hakimo artificial intelligence solution, security teams can guide security system maintenance and help inform security programs and planning. This includes uncovering potential insider threats, changing employee behavior, identifying faulty hardware and more.