Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction

Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction or RASCO (sometimes RASCargO or -in the UK- REST (Remote Explosives Scent Tracing)^[1] is a technology for transport security.

Function

The system allows explosives to be detected in the context of transport facilities, specifically within any closed volume being transported, typically transport containers.^[2]

Summary of technique

Samples of air from within a container are remotely collected and presented to a suitably trained 'sniffer dog', which will provide an alert if it senses the presence of target material, e.g. explosives.^[2]

History

The approach was developed by the Transport Security Division of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (TRANSEC) for the UK government in the late 1990s.^[2] The company 'Kent K9 Detection Services' offers a RASCO system,^[3] and an evolved version is fielded by Chilport for remote air sampling, known as VODS and described as 'an approved variant of the RASCO System'.^[4] Towards assessing best practice, the US Coastguard reviewed the system and wrote a brief summary report in 2006.^[5] DHL mentions its use,^[6] and in 'Air Cargo World' it is described as a specifically UK and European approach to security.^[7]