The recently concluded Phase 2A of the trial tested the Auto-DollyTug at Singapore’s Changi Airport, showcasing its resilience in different conditions including wet weather, heat, humidity, alignment to airport equipment, automated transfer of baggage containers and close quarter operations to aircraft on stand. The Auto-DollyTug demonstrated its ability to manoeuvre on the apron while interacting with traditional ground service equipment (GSE).
Looking ahead, Phase 2B will focus on testing the Auto-DollyTugs’ fleet communication through Aurrigo’s Auto-Connect platform, enabling them to be scheduled and monitored to support the turnaround of a wide body flight.
This new generation of airport baggage handling vehicles, designed, engineered and built in the UK, is expected to arrive in Singapore in the coming months. Beyond concept validation phase, the vehicles will play a critical role in supporting the turnaround of wide-body flights, thereby achieving efficiency savings, environmental improvements and alleviating the labour shortages hitting the global aviation sector.
“This is a milestone moment for the aviation sector and paves the way for the future adoption of our Auto-DollyTugs for servicing of live flights in the near term,” said Aurrigo chief executive officer Professor David Keene. “Changi Airport Group has been exploring this technology with us since 2020 and the results of extensive testing have given it the confidence to place this next contract with us.”
