Detecting Leaks with Fiber Optic Sensing

HAWK's Fiber Optic Sensing System for Perimeter Security was selected by the Indian Army to detect leaks and intruders entering Indian territory.

The surrounding region consists of a thick forest with very heavy fog, making monitoring and detecting activities at the borders extremely difficult. HAWK's Praetorian Fiber Optic Sensing System was selected and installed along the entire perimeter to immediately detect an intruder and send an alarm of their exact location. The HAWK engineering team performed testing, installation, calibration, and commissioning of the entire project, and it was carried out successfully. The Fiber Optic Sensing System was integrated into the Army's surveillance sensors with SCADA system and has been successfully detecting intrusions on one of the world's most environmentally challenging borders for over four years. Our products can be used in pipelines, perimeters, conveyors, power cables, railways, tailing dams, and more. 

Contact us today to learn more about our fiber optic sensing success stories and how our team can help your company. 

The Praetorian Fiber Optic System is a complete perimeter security and border control monitoring system. Using a combination of Rayleigh backscatter and time of flight, Praetorian determines the presence, location, intensity, and frequency of vibrations along an optical fiber in real time. HAWK’s Praetorian FOS can detect the amplitude, spectrum of vibrations, and position of intruders walking or entering a secure zone using a buried fiber optic cable. Praetorian FOS can identify vibration due to weather effects, walking, and crawling to reduce the incidence of false alarms.

25 Elephants were crossing the NF Railway track in India. Thankfully NF Railway installed HAWK's Praetorian Fiber Optic Sensing (FOS) System for intrusion detection throughout their rails. As the elephants crossed, it generated alerts to warn the drivers of the train and to control the train speed to avoid collision with the herd. 

The NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Sabyasachi De, told The New Indian Express that the railway OFC cables run parallel to tracks. These are used for dedicated railway internet for various core operations of the railways.

"When there is an elephant movement on or alongside a railway track, it creates vibration, causing variations in the optical signals being carried in these OFCs. The disturbance in the signals is the signature. Our AI-based software detects the changes in the optical signals to sense the presence of elephants," De said.

"This software can tell us exactly whether the movement is that of an elephant, other animals, or even a human. It can also specifically tell the distance where the movement has been detected. Any mammal that walks on land has a specific movement signature. The AI-based software has been trained to even detect the number of animals at a site," he said.

NF Railway implemented the FOS System last August along 70km of their tracks. Since then, there has not been a single incident.

The Praetorian Fiber Optic Sensing System can detect rail deformation, cracks, and intrusion, and track health. HAWK's Fiber Optic System can monitor any strain and stress change on events leading up to an eventual rail breakage event, as well as deformation of the track due to heat or loss of ground support. It can also detect the sound of locomotives, locate the train's position and speed, and identify sound anomalies due to moderate track surface defects.