ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando International Airport is testing new biometric technology to improve passenger experience and enhance safety as more than 56 million people pass through annually.
The airport is partnering with U.S. Border Patrol and Customs for a 90-day pilot program to evaluate three different facial recognition systems. The goal is to see how the technology could fit into daily airport operations.
The pilot involves three companies: Embross; Aware Inc.; and iProov. The technology uses facial recognition to screen passengers arriving and departing on flights.
[VIDEO BELOW: SunRail to connect with Orlando airport?]
“As the state’s busiest airport, the nation’s 9th busiest, and the world’s 25th busiest airport, our five-year vision is to partner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to pilot enhancements throughout the airport that will reduce passenger processing time by 60%,” CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Lance Lyttle said.
Lyttle said this year Orlando International saw 800,000 more international travelers than the previous year. The airport hopes to use one of the biometric systems to sustain growth without compromising safety or security.
“Our objective was simple: to make the departure process easy, intuitive and seamless for our passengers,” Chief of External Affairs for GOAA Kenyatta Lee explained.
[BELOW: Facial recognition tech solves crimes in Fla.]
The biometric technology changes the traditional flying experience by making it hands-free. Passengers would no longer need to show boarding passes or passports, just their faces.
“With one look at the camera, even with a multiple family walking through, you never have to stop, you can board an aircraft much quicker, all utilizing biometric technology,” president and CEO of Aware Ajay Amlani said.
While companies emphasize that only passengers’ faces are recorded and no other personal or sensitive information is collected, travelers can opt out of using the biometric system if they choose.
“So, you do less, you get on the flight more smoothly, and as a result, flights will leave on time a higher percentage of the time,” said Dominic Forrest, chief technology officer at iProov.