PT World | Sept 2025
29 September 2025
Nicholas Ortyl, chief engineer for critical infrastructure and aviation at Leidos, reveals the importance of optimizing the RF spectrum for security screening
Advanced imaging technology (AIT) body scanner systems have become foundational to airport security, supporting the rapid, non-invasive screening of millions of passengers each day.
What many people don’t realize is that the AIT systems that are so essential to airport security depend on a critical yet limited national asset – the radio frequency (RF) spectrum. Using non-ionizing RF energy and AI-powered detection algorithms, airport scanners identify anomalies beneath clothing, displaying areas of concern with a generic, avatar-based image.
Security is at risk
However, as global demand for wireless connectivity increases, so does the competition for that limited RF spectrum. Telecommunications, automotive radar, satellite communications and commercial wireless providers are all eyeing the same frequency bands that body scanners need. Without proactive advocacy from the security community, the bands could be reassigned or restricted, limiting access to the spectrum required for high-throughput, non-invasive and privacy-preserving screening.
