Segway Picks Up Speed in the Airport Security Sector.

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5 Nov 2007

Segway® Personal Transporters (PTs) are increasingly visible in airports around the world, filling a niche that no other mode of transportation can. At the 2007 InterAirport Europe exhibition recently, Segway Inc. demonstrated how the Segway PT is particularly well suited for airport security.

With air travel becoming ever more frequent, airport terminals are undergoing unprecedented expansion. This places new demands on airport security patrols, as passenger volumes increase and heightened security measures become paramount. The self-balancing Segway PT gives security personnel a more noticeable presence, raising them eight inches or 20 centimetres above the surrounding crowd, while maintaining a footprint just slightly wider than a person. Because Segway PTs are self-balancing, even when standing still, they can move safely among passengers in crowded terminal buildings and travel at up to 12.5 mph/19 kph to a distance of 24 miles/38km.

Segway PTs are increasingly recognised in the Middle East, as the optimum patrol solution with several airports, airlines and security agencies now using the device to improve efficiency. More than 40 airports worldwide have chosen the Segway PT as a security and operations tool, including Paris Charles de Gaulle, AENA for Madrid Airport, Casablanca Airport, Munich Airport and half of the 16 busiest airports in the U.S. In the airline sector, Emirates Airline is one of Segway’s customers in the Middle East.

“Traditionally there has been a trade-off between a highly visible security presence and the ability to move quickly to deal with incidents,” said Segway’s distributor for the Middle East, Steven Brown-Cestero. “Standard airport transports are large and difficult to manoeuvre through crowds, while foot patrols are difficult to see and limited to running pace at best. Segway PTs allow patrollers to see and be seen, to move quickly, and to stay fresh and ready to react, whatever the situation.”

The Segway i2 Police and x2 Police models are designed specifically for patrol applications, featuring revolutionary LeanSteerTM technology that makes riding intuitive, and a wireless InfoKeyTM controller provides theft deterrence and real-time trip data. The i2 Police unit includes a handlebar bag for gear, an accessory bar for lights and sirens, comfort mats, reflective police/security labels, an LED taillight and cargo frames that double as lift handles. The Segway x2 Police unit includes the same accessories as the i2 Police with the exception of comfort mats. In addition the x2 Police model also includes a set of two universal cargo plates that attach to the lower cargo frames, enabling additional gear to be attached with bungee hooks, cargo nets or other devices.

With the exception of battery recharging, there is no regular maintenance required on the Segway PT, and battery recharging can be accomplished at any standard electrical outlet without removing the batteries from the unit. In an increasingly green, ecologically aware operating environment, the electrically-powered Segway PT generates no emissions during operation, with extremely low recharging costs — less than US$0.20 per day.