Tag: AETOS

Surbana Jurong celebrates official opening of AETOS’ new complex at Jurong West

Aetos official opening
The building on Corporation Drive is equipped with many of the security services that AETOS can offer to its clients.

AETOS, a member of the Surbana Jurong Group, has opened its first purpose-built complex, situated minutes down the AYE highway from its former headquarters in Jurong West, in the western part of Singapore.

The building was declared open in an official ceremony on 26 January, graced by Minister, Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Manpower and Home Affairs, Josephine Teo. The event was attended by over 200 guests, including government officials, clients and partners.

AETOS indoor live firing range
The indoor shooting range uses lighting and targetry controls to simulate different environments and situations during live firing training. Previously, AETOS had to rent training facilities at the Old Police Academy.

The seven-storey complex has several key facilities, including AETOS’ first shooting range – a 25-metre indoor range which was designed and built by SMM.

It also has a new Cash Processing Centre that provides a complete end-to-end chain of financial security services, boasting numerous physical security measures such as multiple interlocking access doors, custom-made transparent workstations and extensive 24/7 CCTV coverage.

The innovative safety and security technologies that AETOS offers to its clients have been incorporated into this complex, such as an Intelligent Fire Detection System, virtual fencing through video analytics, and automated security terminals for seamless access control.

Monitored from its in-house command centre, these features are part of the clustered building security service provided to its clients, integrating security, safety and facilities management to increase operational efficiency and reduce reliance on manpower.

security management auxiliary police Aetos
At the opening ceremony were (from left) Wong Heang Fine, Group CEO of Surbana Jurong, Quek Poh Huat, Chairman of AETOS Holdings, Minister Josephine Teo and James Tan, Executive Director and CEO of AETOS Holdings.

Under the upcoming government-led Security Industry Transformation Map, key initiatives include the adoption of technology and the re-alignment of the regulatory environment in its support. In her opening address, Minister Teo noted that “the appropriate use of technology to carry out routine, labour-intensive tasks allows the security officer to focus on tasks that are more complex or require human judgement, such as incident response”.

To this end, AETOS is fully committed to the adoption of such technologies, leading the shift in the overall industry as it strives to meet changing security needs and manpower constraints.

AETOS secures Marina Bay Singapore Countdown project for the 9th consecutive year

MBS countdown security
An extension of Singapore’s Central Business District, Marina Bay has hosted numerous major events, including the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix and the National Day Parade.

AETOS, a member of the Surbana Jurong Group, has once again secured the contract to provide armed security services for the annual Marina Bay Singapore (MBS) Countdown – the nation’s largest and grandest New Year’s Eve celebration.

AETOS’ involvement in this iconic event began when it was first engaged by The Esplanade Co in 2009. The current event organiser, Pico Pro, has chosen to continue with AETOS – a decision attributed in part to its stellar performance in the previous years’ countdowns and its proven track record in providing event-related security solutions.

Held around Marina Bay and the surrounding precinct, the MBS Countdown typically comprises a wide range of events and festivities and attracts more than 300,000 visitors annually. The highlights of this year’s programme include visual displays of building projection mapping sequence and a fireworks showcase. An estimated 600 Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) will be deployed across the district, performing duties such as crowd management and traffic enforcement.

Patrick Koh, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, of AETOS, said, “We are proud to continue being a part of this significant national celebration. Moving forward, I am confident that AETOS will remain the preferred security partner for the MBS Countdown and other prominent national events to come”.

A glimpse into AETOS’ UAVs

aetos uavs

The commercial use of drones has been prevalent in recent years and one may wonder, what exactly is the whole fuss about these aerial machines, or better known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)? As AETOS was one of the three companies to be awarded the prestigious Master Contract last November by the Ministry of Transport in Singapore to provide UAVs to public agencies, Robin Littau, Vice President of Business Development, share his thoughts on this technology.

See below a brief exchange with Robin.

Q1. What can we achieve with UAVs and what are some of the current business applications as well as potential opportunities?

Robin: Harnessing innovative technologies, such as UAVs, helps to enhance the productivity of our frontline officers and labour-intensive operations. We initially got into this business after a request from a government ministry to use UAVs for monitoring and surveillance of security operations. Interestingly, the bulk of our business now is mostly non-security related! Some current applications include: land survey, video production, inspection services for buildings and construction sites, as well as accident investigation.

In addition to these applications, future considerations for the use of UAVs include: road, rail tunnels and pipeline inspection. UAVs can also be used as part of an integrated security solution for perimeter intrusion detection, such as key installations and vital infrastructures.

Q2. What was one of your most interesting UAV projects?

Robin: In 2015,National Environment Agency awarded a contract to AETOS to capture aerial footages of its new facility on Semakau Island. This was particularly memorable because of the challenges that we faced – having to launch and land the UAV from a small boat in open waters, and to navigate it through strong winds and rocky seas! Despite these challenges, we managed to capture the crucial shot and the Minister himself was thoroughly impressed with the end result during the official opening.

Q3. What are some of the challenges that you face?

Robin: We have to adhere to the stringent rules set by the regulator, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. Currently any commercially operated UAV must be flown in line of sight and below 200ft; weight including payload must not exceed 7kg, and it cannot be flown within 5km of any aerodrome. Obtaining the necessary flying permits in a timely manner for time-sensitive project can sometimes pose as a challenge for us.