Credit: Changi Airport Group

Changi Airport Group (CAG) has deployed its first fleet of fully driverless autonomous tractors in live airside operations at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), marking a major milestone in the airport’s automation and innovation journey.

Following nearly a year of trials involving more than 5,000 test trips, two autonomous tractors are now transporting passenger baggage between the baggage handling areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 4. The launch, officiated by Ms Sun Xueling, Senior Minister of State for Transport, highlights Singapore’s continued commitment to pioneering smart airport technologies.

Each autonomous tractor is equipped with more than 10 sensors and cameras that enable safe navigation in the complex airside environment, operating reliably during daytime, nighttime and adverse weather conditions. The vehicles are monitored in real time from a dedicated control centre, where remote operators can intervene immediately should human assistance be require

The deployment represents a significant step forward in Changi Airport’s “airside of the future” vision, enhancing safety, reliability and manpower productivity. By removing the need for drivers, airside workers are freed from routine driving tasks and can instead focus on last mile operations, which remain more challenging to automate.

Later this year, another six autonomous tractors will be deployed along a different route between Terminal 2’s baggage handling area and aircraft stands as part of a collaboration between CAG and SATS. By 2027, the autonomous tractor fleet is expected to expand to 24 vehicles. Future deployments will also see the tractors used to tow cargo and airside equipment, in addition to baggage.

The project is co-funded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and forms part of Changi Airport’s wider innovation strategy. This includes the use of artificial intelligence in initiatives such as “Aircraft 360”, as well as automation and robotics to improve operational efficiency and workforce productivity.

To ensure safe integration with human-driven vehicles and personnel, dedicated autonomous vehicle zones have been marked across the airside, and all autonomous tractors carry clear identification labels.

Ms Liu Yanling, CAG’s Senior Vice President for Airport Operations Strategy and Transformation, said: “The operationalisation of our autonomous tractors represents a huge step forward as we move towards our vision of the airside of the future. By redesigning work processes and infrastructure, we are creating a future-proofed environment where autonomous vehicles and human workers operate seamlessly.”

Ms Angela Ng, Director of Aviation Industry at CAAS, noted that up to 30% of Singapore’s aviation workforce could experience job redesign over the next five years. “The scaled deployment of autonomous tractors allows stakeholders to develop new systems and job transformation programmes, helping workers transition to higher-value roles,” she said.

Mr Kuah Boon Kiam, Senior Vice President of SATS Apron Services, added that the initiative supports SATS’ Hub Handler of the Future programme, improving safety, turnaround efficiency and service quality, while delivering more reliable baggage handling and on-time departures for passengers.

Source : https://tinyurl.com/airportbenchmarking

Can you briefly explain how the ice-resistant technology works?

Airbus is currently developing and testing improved ice-resistant technologies to support current anti-icing systems. This “new” ice-resistant technology is based on the design and manufacture of special coatings that can be applied to the external surfaces of an aircraft in order to stop or slow down the formation of ice or snow while an aircraft is on ground or in-flight using less energy than solutions in place today.

How were the planes tested?

The so-called “icephobic” coatings are not yet used on commercial aircraft. Airbus is testing them in laboratory situations; in icing wind tunnel tests, and in-flight tests to assess both their durability and their performance. There is still a long way to go before all tests will be complete and certification achieved.

Will aircraft with this technology in place have any drawbacks concerning in-service life?

We expect that aircraft equipped with this technology should have the same – or even an increased – in-service life as compared with current aircraft.

Is this a technology that can be applied to existing planes?

Yes, “icephobic” coatings could also be applied to existing aircraft. We call this process “retro-fitting”, which means applying a newer technology to an existing product. However, the main target for the new “icephobic” coatings will be the next-generation of Airbus products.

Will this technology only be useful in icing conditions?

As our current understanding of the technology is, the same coatings should also allow for a reduction in the accumulation of dirt and of other contaminants onto external aircraft surfaces. This will in turn enable a reduction in drag and therefore fuel consumption – it will also keep the aircraft “cleaner and shiny” for a longer time.

Is this solution cost effective compared to traditional de-icing methods?

We do not expect “icephobic” coatings to totally replace traditional ice protection systems, but instead support them; making them more efficient, reducing the energy required to use them as previously mentioned. Our goal of course being a more eco-friendly air-transportation without compromising on safety. 

source : https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/81940/airbus-icephobic-planes/?utm_source=Email+marketing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=IAR++-+Newsletter+%2313+-+NEC+Japan+-+28+March+2019&utm_term=Airbus%e2%80%99+icephobic+coatings+to+reduce+time+for+de-icing+planes*+plus+all+the+latest+airport+news…&utm_content=http%3a%2f%2femails.internationalairportreview.com%2frussellpublishinglz%2f&gator_td=m745KmN4byC7y8mRHpucUyYBR67kdo4UBx3MKlEFENCxdPmzxM3R3473nXsIgbCVyiwbEP7QV6KEDDCmUV%2f8nKKgN%2fOQ7PCO%2fiTeKaZQkSStAYCViY0wHHdnPuvrP5c%2bwh%2fMuvNdC3mRrygYQ87ykRF%2fOZH3k8cWH384yWNZt2DQgTD7vUS6sOVj%2fH5zuysDcgzd%2fyGGXm2InufP9NJw7X7gUkidAi8f4OkiSfT3sZE%3d

There is no single solution for managing birdstrike risk: this significant aviation risk can only be solved through collaboration and an integrated approach.

Our one-stop-shop provides the complete package for Airport Safety Management and planners.

In the past, every airport needed to source bird control equipment from different suppliers and make their own decision on what worked and what didn’t.

Birdstrike Alliance provides airports with an initial objective assessment, followed by commissioning, implementation

and full product training on bird detection and bird deterrence.

Birdstrike Alliance made its first public appearance at the InterAirport Exhibition in Singapore, January 21-23, 2015.

read more at : http://birdstrikealliance.com/

accounted for 0.84 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach $1.43 Billion by 2022, to register a CAGR of 6.88%.

The factors such as increasing demand for passenger safety and comfort and increasing flight delays during the snow are driving the market growth.

Maintaining safety airport operations during freezing weather conditions is also driving the rate of technology adoption. Development of the existing airports and rapid transformation of the airports around the world are also set to offer growth opportunities to the major players involved.

The foremost restraining factors, for the market include regulatory issues and requirements for lucrative initial investments. Optimizing the de-icing and anti-icing fluids and demand for environment friendly fluids are also some of the essential challenges for the market growth. The growth of the aircraft de-icing market is mainly attributed by the succeeding airline industry and technological advancements.

Read more : http://tinyurl.com/hsa32mb

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