June 2020 Industry News
Drone Traffic Management
To increase drone safety and efficiency, NASA has been working on testing the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, within an urban environment. In the final phase of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management project, the agency selected the Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence & Innovation at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to test UAS traffic management (UTM), focusing on drone communication, collision avoidance, safe landing, support services for UAS operations, and safety in an urban landscape. The research results are incrementally transferred to the FAA for implementation, and the FAA has already implemented an initial operational UTM system, Low-Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC).
Mergers & Moves
Vimpex Limited // Sigma Fire and Security
The acquisition of Sigma, including its brands Smart+Guard and Smart+Cage, enhances Vimpex’s portfolio of fire alarm sounders and associated equipment.
StarLink // Getvisibility
Under the global distribution agreement between the two companies, StarLink will support Getvisibility product and service distribution in North America and Europe.
Acuant // IdentityMind
The acquisition allows Acuant to expand its reach across the digital identity lifecycle, creating an identity platform for building, proofing, verifying, and maintaining digital identities.
Cobalt Iron // Arrow Electronics
The distribution agreement means Arrow can offer Cobalt Iron’s Compass enterprise SaaS backup platform to North American customers.
Award
For the sixth year in a row, Amika Mobile’s AMS platform won the US GOVIES Award for Best Emergency Communications Solution. The AMS platform collects and analyzes information from Internet of Things sensors to provide awareness for crisis managers.
Contract
The Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services assigned Proact to manage its IT operations and provide its managed data center services. Proact will also support the agency’s further digitalization efforts.
Announcement
ASTM International’s homeland security committee is developing a proposed standard for baseline performance requirements of ballistic-resistant barriers, panels, or structures, either stationary or mobile, used to protect against projectiles from small arms.
Partnerships
Video Surveillance
Hanwha Techwin America’s Wisenet L series cameras are now compatible with the Genetec Stratocast cloud-based video surveillance-as-a-service.
Pandemic
Kaleyra created a free text-message service to support Italian Red Cross volunteers and citizens dealing with the emergency caused by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transportation
Alstom selected Teleste Corporation’s on-board security solution for the company’s next generation of high-speed trains.
