With QPS screening systems entering the Indian market, Rohde & Schwarz is signalling a broader shift from compliance-led security to ROI-driven loss prevention.
Rohde & Schwarz is taking its QPS security screening technologies beyond aviation as enterprises increasingly assess advanced scanners not merely as compliance tools, but as strategic investments to reduce internal losses. With these systems now entering India, the shift is becoming increasingly relevant across commercial and infrastructure environments.
Originally developed for highly regulated aviation settings, these systems are shaped as much by certification as by engineering. European approvals, US TSA validation, and alignment with regulators such as India’s BCAS significantly extend development timelines, often adding years before deployment. Despite this, financial return is not part of the equation.
“There is no real return on investment in aviation security; you pay more, but there is no price tag for security,” said Harald Jentsch, Director of Sales Aviation at Rohde & Schwarz. In such settings, investment is justified purely by risk mitigation.
The systems demonstrated follow a layered approach. High throughput walk-through scanners such as the QPS Walk2000 are designed for rapid, non-intrusive screening, while secondary body scanners enable deeper inspection in higher risk scenarios. This creates a modular architecture, allowing deployment to be scaled based on risk rather than standardised across environments.
Outside aviation, however, the same technologies are being assessed through a different lens. Enterprises dealing with internal theft, data leakage, or unauthorised asset movement are increasingly viewing such systems as controllable investment levers rather than fixed compliance costs.
“If a company is facing significant losses due to employee theft and installs one scanner, return on investment can be realised within a few months,” Harald added, pointing to deterrence as a primary driver.
The momentum is already visible in emerging deployment scenarios. Data centres operated by Microsoft and Google require tighter control over removable media, while retail environments continue to face persistent challenges in detecting theft of non-metallic, high-value goods. Even specialised logistics operations linked to the Pokémon Company are deploying such systems to curb losses tied to high-value trading inventory. These deployments often span multiple facilities and entry points, pointing to a broader move towards a distributed, scalable security infrastructure.
From an operational standpoint, the systems are designed to minimise friction. Walk-through scanners enable continuous movement with 360-degree body coverage, eliminating the need to remove items such as belts or jackets. AI-based detection supports the identification of both metallic and non-metallic objects while maintaining a controlled alarm rate.
“The key is detecting important threats without exceeding a certain alarm rate, otherwise it disrupts flow and passenger experience,” said Peter Walhoefer, Director of Sales at Rohde & Schwarz, highlighting the need to balance detection accuracy with throughput in real world deployments.
While the QPS systems are developed and manufactured globally, the company is supporting deployments in India through its local presence and integration ecosystem, aligning with region-specific regulatory and operational requirements.
