The result of a joint venture between Charlatte and Nayva, with the assistance of Groupe 3S and TCR, coupled with an enthusiasm for this new technology on the part of Air France, has resulted in the very first live operation of a driverless bag tractor on the ramp.
Toulouse hosted the special day, which involved some 60 observers drawn from all industry sectors. An incoming Air France flight was successfully served by the autonomous bag tractor, itself the result of several years' work on the part of GSE manufacturer Charlatte and autonomous specialist Navya. Once an airport is mapped out electronically, the tug is capable of being sent out automatically to a stand without driver input. It stops at barriers or crossings, detects traffic that might be traversing its route and drives at a steady pace. These attributes benefit the tractor enormously, endowing it with higher levels of safety and a smaller maintenance requirement.
Look out for the February issue of Ground Handling International, in which will appear a fuller report of this historic day..
