Security never sleeps – and at an airport, neither can the technology that protects it. We met with Air Tech Italy Member Forte Secur Group to discuss FORTIFY, its autonomous ground robot designed to patrol airports around the clock.
Alessia Forte, Chairman of the Board and co-owner of ForteSecurGroup
Our interviewee is Alessia Forte, President and co-owner of Forte Secur Group and Vice President of Air Tech Italy. With more than 15 years of experience in corporate and aviation security, she has played a leading role in developing innovative security solutions for highly regulated environments, combining operational expertise with advanced technologies.
Forte Secur Group started as a company specializing in security training. Today, it is the only European player providing integrated security projects exclusively for large enterprises. Since its foundation, it has become one of Italy’s leading corporate security providers, protecting major national and international clients through a model that integrates people, procedures, technology and its own proprietary 24/7 Operations Centre.
Headquartered in Northern Italy, the company employs around 180 people and has developed a strong expertise in aviation security. Today, Forte Secur Group is bringing that experience to airports through FORTIFY, an autonomous ground robot designed for intelligent inspection and security patrols in the most demanding environments.
We spoke with Alessia to learn more about the technology and how this new robot forms an important part of the Group’s long-term strategy.
Air Tech Italy: What is 4TFY FORTIFY, and what makes it different for an airport?
Alessia: “FORTIFY is an autonomous mobile robot that provides continuous patrols, both indoors and outdoors, airside and landside, and in any weather condition, 24/7. It maintains a visible deterrent presence while following programmed or remotely guided patrol routes across large areas.
On board, it carries four HD cameras providing full 360° vision, edge-AI analytics capable of recognizing people and vehicles in restricted zones, and a bi-spectrum PTZ camera with 20x zoom and a thermal channel that detects heat anomalies and early signs of fire. It navigates autonomously using 3D LiDAR and GPS.
What sets FORTIFY apart is that every detection becomes a qualified alarm- not raw footage to be reviewed later. The robot doesn’t simply record; it understands, analyses and reports.”
Air Tech Italy: You speak of a new paradigm: “physical artificial intelligence”. What do you mean?
Alessia: “For a long time, artificial intelligence was something distant: software, chatbots or digital interactions that remained separate from the physical world.
With FORTIFY, AI takes physical form. It is an intelligent robot that brings artificial intelligence into the real world and acts upon it. That combination is genuinely new.
One of its greatest strengths is the certainty it brings to procedures. Patrol routes, inspection paths and the conditions that trigger alerts are all codified into the robot. The output is precise and not open to interpretation in the field—it is the exact execution of the procedures defined by the security manager.”
Air Tech Italy: What does this mean in practice for the airport operator?
Alessia: “It delivers real operational and economic efficiency. Tasks that are costly when performed manually become significantly more efficient and consistent.
The technology also guarantees the same quality of service regardless of weather conditions. Whether operating under blazing sun or heavy rain, FORTIFY delivers consistent results without placing additional strain on personnel.
Importantly, this solution was developed by a security institute – a category we are proud to belong to, with all its regulations and standards – but approached with the mindset of a corporate security company. For us, expanding further into advanced technology is simply the natural evolution of our services.”
Air Tech Italy: Where do people fit into this new context?
Alessia: “At the centre. This is a winning combination precisely because it is not about replacing people with machines.
Human expertise remains essential, but people’s skills are elevated to supervise and direct the continuous work carried out by the robot. FORTIFY provides certainty and tireless presence, while people continue to do what only people can do: assess situations, exercise judgement and make decisions.
That synergy is fundamental.”
Air Tech Italy: How does 4TFY FORTIFY fit into an existing security operation?
Alessia: “FORTIFY is never deployed on its own. Every event it detects is managed in real time by Focal Point, our certified 24/7 Operations Centre (UNI CEI EN 50518).
Qualified operators validate every alarm, distinguish false positives from genuine threats and activate the agreed response – from directing the robot towards the affected area to escalating incidents to security personnel or law enforcement.
FORTIFY is the mobile extension of the control room in the field. It is not simply a device, but part of a complete security service focused on business continuity.”
Air Tech Italy: What about the airport environment specifically?
Alessia: “For airports, two aspects matter most: continuity and compliance.
Because FORTIFY operates on the ground, it sits entirely outside the flight restrictions that ENAC applies to drones. It continues operating in wind, rain and low visibility -exactly the conditions in which aerial platforms are often grounded.
It efficiently covers extensive perimeters and apron areas without requiring the costly and invasive infrastructure associated with fixed camera networks. By eliminating blind spots, it transforms static surveillance into a mobile, adaptive security capability.
We also provide certified training for highly regulated environments, airports included, ensuring the technology is deployed within an organisation fully equipped to use it effectively.
FORTIFY is our contribution to the airport of the future: secure, efficient and resilient by design.”
Many thanks, Alessia, for sharing these insights. We wish Forte Secur Group every success with FORTIFY and look forward to following its journey as airports continue to embrace intelligent automation and next-generation security solutions.
For more information about Forte Secur Group, visit: https://airtechitaly.com/member/forte-secur-group/