The Royal Docks Management Agency is responsible for the security of one of the largest enclosed docks in the world. 13 metres deep and 4km long, the docks cover an area the size of central London, an entire acre of which is land. This leisure water haven is managed from a security base in the King George V Control Centre, which also provides security for the surrounding area, which encompasses London City Airport and the Excel Centre.

Providing surveillance for this vast and complex site presents a number of challenges, such as wide geographic areas and difficult light conditions. In addition, the high level of public traffic means that operators have to quickly identify and respond to specific incidents. The previous security system no longer met the modern challenges of today and was effecting operator response time. The high volumes of pedestrian traffic across the Royal Victoria footbridge during events and the activities in the area now known as the Royal Victoria Beach meant that updating this security system was vital.

Arran Henderson at DSSL Group was asked to design a new system to meet these increasing security needs. Standard definition (SD) cameras have been replaced by Indigovision’s high definition (HD) BX cameras. The increased resolution from the new HD cameras mean more effective digital zoom, allowing Royal Docks to reduce the total number of cameras by 15%.

The map-based user interface of Indigovision’s Control Center software allows operators to see exactly what is happening in any area simple by clicking on the onscreen map, improving operator response time. Fast, efficient video search means specific clips of incidents can now be found and exported in seconds.

“The engineers have done a fantastic job of installing the system and training us on the equipment," enthused Project Manager Leigh Storey, “Operator response time is faster and the image detail from the Indigovision cameras is outstanding - I can see 2½ kilometres down the Thames!"

The benefits of the new system speak for themselves during daily use, for example, operators can now see clearly over a far greater distance than before and specific clips can be searched and exported quickly and easily. Operators can instantly see what’s happening in an area simply by clicking it on the onscreen map, and the cameras can be deployed wherever needed - without having to worry about control centres, allowing for more efficient coverage.