The Donbass Arena in Ukraine was opened on August 29, 2009 with a sensational party which was attended by the Ukrainian president himself. This arena was the very first Eastern European football stadium to fulfill the UEFA criteria for an elite stadium and will host an important venue for the 2012 European Football Championship.
The most important factor is always to ensure maximum security for the guests. In an emergency, it would take 8 minutes to evacuate the entire stadium, which seats 51,504. "We want our visitors to feel safe here and to enjoy their stay. For this reason, we rely on cutting-edge security technology," says stadium manager Olexandr Atamanenko. Over 600 MOBOTIX cameras have an eye on everything.
This video system will enable security staff to identify every person as they enter or leave the stadium as well as during their stay. It also allows staff to observe and control crowds of visitors at the entrances and exits of the stadium and at the entrances to the stands. Other key areas in which cameras have been installed include the restaurants, the parking lots and the gift shop.
High resolution, robust and reliable: MOBOTIX"We chose MOBOTIX cameras based on their impressive array of features," explained Sergey Burgela, Chief of Security at Donbass Arena. "I would like to mention the image quality in particular. I can zoom in on a potential troublemaker and I immediately have a detailed image of his or her face that I can send to the police, who can then identify the responsible person."
The cameras enable the security personnel to identify visitors that are known to have caused trouble in the past and arrange for them to leave before the game begins. The video security system also helps security staff to identify offenders even after the offense was committed.
The cameras, which are equipped with high-resolution 3.1 megapixel sensors, not only deliver extremely sharp images, but they are also able to provide a complete view of much larger areas when compared to conventional cameras with lower resolution.
"The MOBOTIX bid required fewer cameras than the offers from other manufacturers," said Burgela. It was also a bonus that we are able to use the existing IT infrastructure. All cameras are supplied with power using PoE switches and they are connected to a network which includes an NAS system with 210 terabyte storage capacity.
The robust, weatherproof design and the lack of mechanical components made another compelling case for the products from Langmeil, Germany. They require neither heating nor fans and need very little maintenance. Because they are equipped with two separate day/night sensors, the cameras deliver clear images around the clock.
"The MOBOTIX bid required fewer cameras than the offers from other manufacturers" |
And speaking of light sensitivity: The powerful stadium lighting that makes Donbass Arena shine like a diamond at night requires backlight-proof sensors like those that come as standard in MOBOTIX cameras.
Decentralised Memory Solution, Simple Installation
"Above all, it was the decentralised concept that won me over," said Evgeniy Konovalenko, head technician of the security department. Image processing and event control take place in the cameras themselves. This not only dramatically reduces the load on the network, but it also allows users to do everything they need - live video transfer, recording and event search - simultaneously. "We transmit the live video to 42-inch monitors at four workstations and use two 19-inch monitors for searching in the archive," says Konovalenko.
MOBOTIX even provides the software
 |
| The cameras are equipped with high-resolution 3.1 megapixel sensors to deliver extremely sharp images |
"We work with MxControlCenter on every one of these screens. This software is very user-friendly, making it easy for the security staff to operate," says the technician. And the incredible thing is: This software is provided by MOBOTIX free of charge along with the cameras and updates can be downloaded quickly and easily online. The professional IP video management system supports the decentralised recording technology of the cameras, which requires only around a tenth of the number of servers needed by conventional systems. "This is another reason why we chose MOBOTIX," said Burgela.
Ukrainian MOBOTIX partner wins recognition
This major project was completed by Unitop, the official MOBOTIX sales partner in Ukraine. The former IT company, founded in 1991, has worked with MOBOTIX on over 50 installations since their first cooperative project in 2008. The team made its case against the competition and won the contract with a comprehensive total concept.
