Changi Airport Group and Aurrigo Worldwide are collaborating to check the newest model of its electric-powered autonomous automobile, Auto-DollyTug, at Changi Airport, Singapore.
Auto-DollyTug, which has new floor dealing with capabilities and is extra maneuverable, might be put via totally different eventualities to evaluate its effectivity and velocity in relation to plane turnaround occasions.
Combining the utility of a baggage tractor and the unit load machine (ULD) carrying functionality of an airport dolly, the newest Auto-DollyTug can rotate in its personal size and, utilizing the groundbreaking sideways drive system, transfer instantly sideways and slide into tight areas, enabling the swift supply of a single ULD even when different GSE gear is in place on the plane.
In an trade first, the brand new Auto-DollyTug additionally options Aurrigo’s auto-loading and launch administration system that provides bi-directional robotic arms to the physique to permit the automobile to autonomously load and unload the ULD from itself.
Professor David Keene, CEO at Aurrigo, says: “Auto-DollyTug is the results of clear sheet of paper considering, as we didn’t simply need a modified typical tractor that might tow some dollies to an space close to the plane with no driver.
“Our expertise cannot solely carry a ULD on its physique, which maximises carrying capability with out growing the size of the prepare, it could possibly additionally autonomously switch that ULD instantly on to a JCPL or Excessive Loader.”
He provides: “This degree of functionality has been made potential by designing a automobile to be electrical and autonomous from day one. We’ve got by no means constructed a diesel-powered airport automobile so we don’t should work across the compromises of a legacy GSE automobile product.
“This third era of the Auto-DollyTug has been designed to include the expertise we’ve gained from the in depth airside testing already carried out with our 2nd era automobile at Changi Airport.”
The sooner variations of Auto-DollyTug have been on trial at Singapore Changi Airport since February 2022 (Annex 1). This testing part gave Aurrigo the chance to deploy its autos in a dwell airside setting and to push the bounds of its expertise in a scorching and humid local weather, the place excessive rain occasions are a frequent characteristic of airside operations.
Ms Poh Li San, senior vice chairman, Terminal 5 Specialised Methods at Changi Airport Group, says: “Changi Airport is exploring using totally different autos throughout the airport, particularly to automate airside operations.”
“The newest Auto-DollyTug has made its airside debut at our airport and we stay up for finding out the way it handles the challenges of a dynamic airport setting.”
