Invercargill Airport

Key Metrics

• Multiple hours saved using remote inspection of infrastructure during storm events

• Unlimited expansion capability, eliminating previous "blocks of 16" camera limitations

• 100% mobile access for key personnel versus previous 2-computer physical limitation

• Zero contractor visits required for routine system management and user permission changes

Background

For Stuart Harris, Chief Executive of Invercargill Airport, the view from his office window tells a compelling story. As aircraft taxi across the tarmac outside, they represent both the airport's purpose and its unique security challenges. Serving 350,000 passengers annually with flights to Auckland, Christchurch, and Stewart Island, this regional New Zealand hub required a security system as dynamic and responsive as the aviation industry itself.

The Challenge: When Old Systems Can't Take Flight

The journey to modernization began with frustration. The airport's aging surveillance system, installed during the terminal's 2016 construction, had become increasingly unreliable. For Harris and his team, the limitations were painfully clear.

"We had cameras that were struggling with resolution," Harris explains. "We had a couple of incidents where things happened within the frame of cameras, and when we went back to review the footage, they just weren't sharp enough to actually show us the critical details."

But image quality was just the beginning of their challenges. The system's architecture created significant operational barriers:

• Physical limitations: "The only way we could get access to the system was through two specific computers, physically on premises."

• Dependency on contractors: "Every time we wanted to do anything other than just look at footage, we needed to have the contractor in the room."

• Costly expansion hurdles: The system operated in blocks of 16 cameras, requiring significant hardware investments to expand beyond each block.

• Remote monitoring impossibilities: Critical infrastructure like the pump house had power but no data connectivity, making surveillance impossible without expensive trenching.

The situation came to a head when the airport needed to monitor its pump house during severe weather. "About a year ago, we had a big storm come through, and there was concern that the drain levels were rising," Harris recalls. "One of our team was going out there every hour on the hour, checking: Are the pumps still running? What's the height of the water?"

This constant physical checking diverted valuable staff resources during a critical time when they were needed elsewhere. Something had to change.

The Outcome: Taking Off with Verkada

When seeking a replacement, Invercargill Airport began exploring options through their local contractor. What started as a simple camera upgrade quickly expanded when they discovered Verkada's comprehensive ecosystem.

The pivotal moment came when addressing the pump house challenge. Previous contractors had suggested trenching a data cable—an "extortionate cost" solution. When the Verkada system was presented, the answer was refreshingly different: "No, easy. We'll put a mobile data box on there and use the cellular network."

This unexpected solution to a persistent problem opened Harris's eyes to what modern security technology could offer. A trial installation followed, with three cameras quickly demonstrating the platform's potential. "It was very, very easy," Harris notes about the installation process. "Our contractor was able to just literally unscrew the old ones, unplug the network cable, plug in the new ones, and they worked."

The intuitive interface proved equally impressive: "Everything seemed easy. It just seemed to be quite intuitive as to how to go through, name cameras, group cameras, and create grid views."

Creating a Hub of Activity

Today, Invercargill Airport's security infrastructure has been completely transformed with Verkada technology strategically deployed throughout the facility:

• Terminal interior: High-definition cameras monitor passenger areas, check-in counters, and baggage claims

• Airport exterior: Monitoring of car parks, roadways, and key entry points

• Airside operations: Cameras positioned to monitor aircraft stands for safety and operational efficiency

• Critical infrastructure: Remote monitoring of the pump house via cellular gateway

• Control tower: A newly installed PTZ camera provides panoramic views of the entire airfield

The impact has been immediate and far-reaching. "We use our camera system a heap more," Harris explains. "The old one was so limited in its functionality, it was almost a last resort to go to it."

The benefits extend far beyond simple monitoring. Invercargill Airport has discovered significant operational improvements across their entire facility:

Streamlined Operations and Response

Remote monitoring has transformed emergency response capabilities, with pump house checks now completed "with three clicks" instead of hourly physical visits. The airport's security team maintains a more proactive posture, using cameras to monitor key areas where constant physical presence isn't possible. For airlines, the system helps coordinate aircraft turnaround activities, where "whether a plane is on the ground for 30 minutes or 34 minutes makes a big difference."

Enhanced Investigations and Staff Empowerment

When incidents occur, investigation times have drastically decreased. "Having two or three or four cameras on the screen at the same time, with all of those views synced up" allows security to see multiple angles simultaneously, making them "more specific and more accurate in how we're resolving occurrences." Perhaps most importantly, the team has gained independence to "control what we do, set it up how we do it," and manage permissions without contractor assistance.

Looking Ahead: Cleared for Future Expansion

As Invercargill Airport continues to evolve, the scalability of their Verkada system remains a key advantage. "We're always building and modifying things on the airport," Harris says. "I really like knowing that we don't need to work out what the infrastructure looks like around how we get new cameras there, or can our system cope with more cameras or different cameras."

This flexibility provides peace of mind for future development. "Knowing that as long as we can get power and data, it'll work... There's like one less design consultant required, one less headache required."

The airport is also exploring additional Verkada technologies, including people counting to better understand building traffic patterns beyond just ticketed passengers. "It'd be really nice if we could find a solution so that we had those people-counting cameras actually as additional cameras on our system as well."

For other airports or facilities considering similar upgrades, Harris offers straightforward advice: "Get a trial and play with it because I think it's really hard to understand just how good it is until you've actually got it on your system and you've got it on your phone."

The ease of implementation makes experimenting low-risk. "You don't have to invest much time to start seeing the benefits," Harris emphasizes. "Get a couple of trial cameras, put them somewhere useful, get a few of your team going with it, and just have a play."

At Invercargill Airport, what began as a simple camera replacement has evolved into a comprehensive transformation of their security and operations. From terminal to tarmac, from management offices to remote infrastructure, Verkada has helped this regional hub soar to new heights of efficiency, security, and peace of mind.