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Aircraft ground operations: steps towards automation

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Abstract

The state of the art of aircraft ground-handling operations at airports is analysed. The overall automation of these activities is addressed and the main challenges to be overcome to build safe and efficient-automated ground-handling systems are identified. The most promising opportunity appears in the short term with docking of ground support equipment to aircraft, then with further autonomous vehicles moving around the aircraft and later with new automated systems within the aircraft. A concept for automated vehicles operation around the aircraft is also presented.

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Notes

  1. E.g. EU ground handling directive: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A31996L0067.

  2. See http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pressreleases/press-release-detail/detail/airbus-signs-mou-with-honeywell-and-safran-to-develop-electric-taxiing-solution-for-the-a320-family/.

  3. http://www.taxibot-international.com/.

  4. https://flytranspose.com/.

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Airbus SAS, 1 Rond-Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707, Blagnac, France

    Diego Alonso Tabares

  2. Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa

    Felix Mora-Camino

  3. Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio das Ostras, Brazil

    Felix Mora-Camino

  4. ENAC, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France

    Felix Mora-Camino

Authors
  1. Diego Alonso Tabares
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  2. Felix Mora-Camino
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Correspondence to Diego Alonso Tabares.

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Alonso Tabares, D., Mora-Camino, F. Aircraft ground operations: steps towards automation. CEAS Aeronaut J 10, 965–974 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-019-00390-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-019-00390-5

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