The leading provider of autonomous transport solutions has penned a ‘project agreement’ with International Airlines Group (IAG) for the deployment and demonstration of its aviation solutions for baggage operations at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
Aurrigo International plc has also announced a European contract to operate moving cargo at Stuttgart Airport, working with the Digital Testbed Cargo Project (DTAC) Consortium that is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) and carried out under the academic leadership of the Frauhofer IML (Institute for Material Flow and Logistics) and the Frankfurt University of Applied Science.
Both trials will use Aurrigo’s latest MK3 Auto-DollyTug, an autonomous, electric vehicle (EV) designed for airport baggage and cargo operations. Preparation work has already begun, with Aurrigo’s technology expected on the tarmac in March 2024, giving operators the opportunity to combine the utility of a baggage/cargo tractor, with the ULD (unit load device) carrying capability of an airport dolly.
This means that a combination of an Auto-DollyTug and three trailers carries four ULDs or over 30% more than a traditional tug set-up of the same overall length. It also incorporates robotic arms on the body, allowing the vehicle to autonomously load and unload a ULD itself.
David Keene, CEO of Aurrigo International, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win these first deployments in the USA and Germany, following on from announcements we have made already in Singapore and the UK.”
He concluded: “This is a growing endorsement of our strategy to concentrate on aviation, a sector where there is a clear demand for autonomous EVs that reduce emissions, improve efficiency and allow for continued growth in volumes - despite a shortage of security-cleared ground staff.”