Autonomous vehicle manufacturer Aurrigo International plc has been awarded £1.43m in UK government funding to evaluate how driverless technology can enhance airside airport safety and operations.
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 fund the development of Aurrigo’s new ‘SENTRY’ project.
Under the initiative, Coventry-headquartered Aurrigo will deploy its autonomous Auto-Shuttle vehicles to perform routine airside inspection tasks. These include security patrols, routine perimeter inspections and counting birds and encouraging them to move somewhere safer.
The project will leverage research expertise from the Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick, regulatory oversight from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and operational testing facilities at Teesside International Airport. Trials will also extend to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in the US.
Aurrigo already deploys autonomous luggage and cargo transport vehicles, including its Auto-DollyTug and Auto-Cargo platforms, across eight international airports.
“Airports are busier and more hazardous than most passengers ever realise,” said Simon Brewerton, chief technology officer at Aurrigo International.
“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. Much of this work happens in the dark, in wind and rain, and always with aircraft moving nearby.
“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.”
Mark Cracknell, programme director at Zenzic, added: “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.”
