Aurrigo International plc, an autonomous vehicle developer, has been awarded £1.43 million from to investigate how autonomous vehicles can be used to make airports safer. The grant, awarded under the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade’s CAM Pathfinder scheme delivered in partnership with Zenzic and Innovate UK will support their SENTRY project, which launches in September.
Under SENTRY, Auto-Shuttle® vehicles will be deployed to complete several routine tasks, including performing security patrols, routine perimeter inspections and counting birds and encouraging them to move somewhere safer. The vehicles will also inspect runway and taxiway surfaces for cracks, wear or spotting loose objects that can cause serious damage to an aircraft. Designed to increase safety by detecting obstacles, birds, damage to runways and security issues, the project also aims to boost efficiency through automated inspections and support aircraft to move smoothly around the airport. For travellers, flights are less likely to be delayed due to runway inspections or safety checks.
The project taps into the expertise of Warwick Manufacturing Group at Warwick University, the guidance of the Civil Aviation Authority and access to a specialist testbed facility located near Teesside International Airport. Technology developed with those partners will be built into the Auto-Shuttle® and deployed first in controlled environments before operating in real airport conditions at Teesside International Airport and at Cincinnati in North America. Results, including staff time savings, how quickly issues were spotted and the effect on reducing emissions, will be written up in a public report shared with airports, regulators and the wider sector.
SENTRY builds on Aurrigo International's increasing presence in the aviation sector, with Auto-DollyTug® and Auto-Cargo® vehicles already in use at eight global airports. Aurrigo moved into its new Advanced Engineering Centre in Coventry earlier this year.
Airports are busier and more hazardous than most passengers ever realise. Away from the terminal, staff spend their days walking and driving around parked aircraft, along taxiways and up and down runways, checking for loose debris, chasing away birds, patrolling for security, and inspecting the roadways for damage. SENTRY will investigate whether some of that work could be done by small autonomous vehicles that will navigate on their own, following a set of rules agreed in advance with air traffic control. Aurrigo's technology is not about replacing people, it is about taking the cold, repetitive, three-in-the-morning jobs off the roster.
Today's announcement builds on the fantastic progress made by CAM Pathfinder so far and puts the UK firmly in the driving seat when it comes to developing and deploying the CAM solutions of tomorrow. From construction to public roads and, airside, these projects have the potential to transform UK businesses, create and safeguard hundreds of jobs and further strengthen the domestic supply chain.
