Philadelphia International Airport will initially install small Trackem GPS/wi-fi trackers on over 100 pieces of equipment.
A recent request for proposal (RFP) was issued by Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), for the equipment tracking on the airport campus. The tender requested a tracking solution that is completely independent of the PHL IT network and infrastructure, works in the terminal or on the apron seamlessly, and has a small, durable hardware form factor, with long battery life.
PHL selected Trackem GPS – a brand from Canadian firm Solutions Into Motion (SIM) – to provide the tracking technology. PHL will install small Trackem GPS/wi-fi trackers on over 100 various pieces of equipment at the airport, to start. The equipment ranges from floor cleaners to golf carts, chainsaws, man lifts, ride-on extractors, snow throwers, and more.
The Trackem GPS/wi-fi tracker is a small unit that generates location data from GPS satellites when it is outside on the apron, like a standard GPS tracker. When the unit is inside the terminal, where GPS can struggle to maintain a strong signal, the tracker will revert to wi-fi tracking
An unlimited number of users will have access to an app to view the location of assets
How it works
The technology works by scanning for existing wi-fi routers within range (similar to how a cell phone scans for available wi-fi) to resolve the location of the tracker. The unit does this wi-fi Mac address scanning without needing any access to the airport network or any IT infrastructure. If GPS and wi-fi signals fail, the tracker will revert to cellular tower triangulation, providing triple redundancy.
The trackers are being set to various location updates or ping frequencies (for instance, once a day) depending on what type of equipment they are tracking. At one GPS or wi-fi ping per day, the three triple-A batteries can last for more than ten years. These trackers feature the ability to report location, speed, temperature, tilt, start/stop, and battery level. They are wireless devices, making them simple to install.
At any time, an unlimited number of PHL users will have access to a web interface and a mobile app to view the location of assets. The Trackem tracking platform enables users to create unlimited geofences around buildings, restricted areas, job sites, and more. Various instant notifications (enter/exit a geofence, low battery, maintenance reminders, etc.) and reports are available. The system can track usage behaviours, hours of operation, maintenance schedules, and so on. The Trackem GPS platform also allows future integration with dash cams, PTOs, BLE sensors, and offers API integration for existing Airport GIS and other software systems.
Images: PHL and Trackem
