Secure and safe 2023 World Economic Forum
Wintry Davos once again hosted the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in mid-January 2023, having last held it, exceptionally, in May 2022. Attended by politicians, business leaders and high-profile experts keen to discuss the global challenges ahead, the international event went off without any noteworthy incidents. Securitas and Securiton were amongst the specialists ensuring the safety and security of the attendees.
“Cooperation in a fragmented world” was the overall theme of the 2023 World Economic Forum in the wintry setting of Davos, the renowned winter sports and spa resort in Canton Graubünden. For five days, from 16 to 20 January 2023, more than 2700 political and business representatives from 130 countries met to discuss possible solutions, goals and new technologies at numerous events, while forging new or expanded alliances in the process. The focus was on issues such as climate protection, inflation, food security and the war in Ukraine.
Taking part in the discussions, events and workshops in various ways were numerous heads of state and high-ranking government representatives as well as the heads of the EU Council, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, NATO and the World Trade Organisation. Also present were representatives of the climate movement, non-governmental organisations and scientific experts.
Extensive security and safety precautions
With so many international attendees, several hundred of them heads of state, ministers and personalities from international organisations, all requiring protection under international law, security was the watchword at the meeting. Thousands of personnel from police forces, the armed forces, border guards and other security agencies were deployed. Half of the 5,000 or so army personnel were not in Davos itself, but were deployed across Switzerland for the event.
Successful use of SecuriDrone
Securiton AG was present at the World Economic Forum for the first time with its SecuriDrone drone security system. Its mission was to provide and operate a system for neutralising the hazard of unauthorised drones. The aim was to quickly detect drones entering the defined restricted airspace, and locate the drone and pilot visually for rapid intervention by the security forces. If the pilot cannot be tracked down in time, SecuriDrone can override the pilot by taking control of the drone (RF-Cyber) and landing it in a controlled manner at a predefined safe location. This drone defence intervention is performed without resorting to disruptive jamming.
Cyber technology, which requires minimal antenna infrastructure, has broken new ground. Deployments in unpredictable weather (cold, snow, wind, etc.) featuring technical challenges (heavily used frequency wavebands), signal reflections caused by urban environments and fast process flows during events involving hazards have confirmed SecuriDrone to be a safe and efficient solution concept. The UewSyst mobile perimeter monitoring system from Securiton AG was also successfully deployed.
Markus Eggenberger, Chief of Security Police at the Grisons Police Force, reports in a short interview on the current danger potential of drones.
