Indra deploys biometric border control technology at five Spanish airports

Technology developer Indra has deployed around 124 automatic border control (ABC) biometric systems at five airports across Spain.

Deployed at the Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, South Tenerife and Malaga airports, the technology aims to accelerate the processing of the passengers of the European Economic Area (Schengen area)returning from non-member states.

The ACB systems operate through kiosks where passengers have to present their digital passport or other electronic ID. Each post consists of a digital fingerprint sensor and facial recognition cameras.

The technology verifies the authenticity of the passengers by using biometric information included in digital passports while checking with the police database.

The systems were deployed between January and June as part of the Smart Borders programme, following successful trials at the Adolfo Suárez-Madrid Barajas Airport and Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

Indra partnered with the Spanish police force to conduct the trials under the technical direction of the Secretariat of State for Security.

The technology has been in use at the two airports since 2010.

Smart Borders programme is co-funded by the European Union, and is scheduled to run until 2017.

Indra has also deployed the technology at the Algeciras Maritime Station, a port used by European travellers going to Africa.

The systems will record travellers entering and leaving the European Economic Area.