In certain areas, immigration is a massive problem. People are constantly trying to sneak across borders into areas they’re not allowed to, and by using a thermal camera, border security patrols are able to clamp down on this like never before.
Part of the problem with policing a border comes from night falling – under the cover of darkness, regular CCTV cameras and human eyes can’t see a whole lot, which gives ample opportunity for those trying to illegally cross the border to attempt to do so.
Thermal cameras aren’t the same. As a thermal camera detects infrared radiation instead of visible light, it is able to see through the cover of darkness and daylight, and isn’t affected by light sources such as the sun, the moon or artificial lighting. As this is the case, a thermal camera used in border security is able to clearly see a thermal signature of a human approaching a border. This happens because human bodies output a lot of heat, meaning they can be usually clearly seen against other, colder objects such as the ground, buildings or even foliage.
For comprehensive detection, many installations use a thermal camera in combination with a standard security system, allowing all avenues of detection to be covered. Some thermal cameras are able to detect human-shaped targets over vast distances, meaning that border patrols are often alerted about the presence of a person long before they get anywhere near to the border itself.