The stadium threat environment is constantly changing. Crowd hooliganism was a big feature in the 1990s, today it is missile throwing and flare lighting. And as stadium terror attacks in Paris and Manchester remind us, venues able to pack in tens of thousands of people need to be proactive and vigilant towards risks. However, when trying to cover wide, deep spaces, security managers face a serious dilemma with traditional PTZ camera-based systems: The operator has to choose between overview image and detailed view, creating a considerable risk of missing out critical information and limiting analysis options.

It was this paradox, highlighted by an incident at Westpac Stadium when the previous CCTV solution failed to record, that drove management’s openness to a surveillance solution that delivers operators situational awareness across an entire angle of view and throughout an entire depth of field.

Large areas and no gaps

Wellington’s Westpac Stadium has played host to its fair share of big moments: The Black Caps emphatic wins over England and the West Indies in the 2015 World Cup, the All Whites qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup by defeating Bahrain and Test matches against The British and Irish Lions in 2005 and in July 2017. The stadium can now also boast that it is the first stadium in the world to achieve entire field and stand CCTV coverage, and the first in the southern hemisphere to benefit from the surveillance power of Panomera.

Dallmeier’s Panomera multifocal sensor system was specially developed for the all encompassing video surveillance of expansive areas such as stadiums. With Panomera, huge widths as well as areas with large distances can be displayed with a completely new resolution quality, in real time and at high frame rates of up to 30 fps. With one Panomera system, a huge area can be surveyed from a single location in extraordinary detail. Movements of objects, such as people or vehicles, can be tracked and reconstructed over long distances without any gaps in the recording or camera switching. Not only does Panomera zoom in well with clarity, but it can also do so in playback. Backed by the system’s LGC Forensics certification, it is thus possible to later reconstruct any event for use as evidence in court, regardless of where it took place, and to recognise all persons involved.

“Just” 14 cameras

As this is the first stadium in the world to cover seating and the field using Panomera, there are more Panomera units than usually installed in order to handle the huge increase in coverage. Still, Westpac Stadium’s 14 Panomera cameras provide an effective complement of 98 cameras. Coverage is complete, with some overlap, and the addition of a couple of PTZs allows the security team to look for specific details at very high resolutions. A key issue for Westpac Stadium was ensuring the new solution gave coverage of the field area during night concerts – a requirement that could be easily fulfilled with the Nightline Panomera, which has strong performance in low light.

Reduced cost and complexity

In addition to vastly increased overall security, Panomera also creates significant positive effects on Total Cost of Ownership as considerable fewer cameras are required compared to traditional PTZ solutions. But there are other saving effects: in contrast to PTZ cameras, Panomera has no movable mechanical parts, which means there is no wear, extending the camera’s lifetime. Since fewer camera installation locations are needed, the requirements for the infrastructure (masts, cables, electricity, etc.) are lower, along with expenditures for servicing and maintenance.

“Due to the ‘Panomera effect’, huge widths and large distances can be displayed with a completely new quality, beginning where HD and megapixel cameras reach their limits thanks to Panomera´s completely novel lens and sensor concept”, says Frank Oetjen, Dallmeier Area Manager Australasia & Southern Africa at Dallmeier. “With the innovative technology approach of the Panomera system, Westpac Stadium has now better coverage with more flexibility while at the same time deploying less cameras and thus reducing cost and complexity within their surveillance system.”