Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations (2020) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 68-121
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From page 68... ...
68 The previous chapter presented a general evaluation process that can be used by a specific airport to evaluate alternative AGVT applications. This chapter presents the evaluation results for the prioritized technology applications in the airside environment, with respect to the evaluation criteria ease of adoption and stakeholder acceptance, technical feasibility, infrastructure impacts, operational impacts, benefits and human factors.
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From page 69... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 69 The proposed implementation for each application depends on the permanence of the project, the maturity of the technology and the impact on airport operations. Applications that will utilize mature technologies are recommended for full deployment on a permanent basis.
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70 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations has potential benefits in the long term for sustainability and safety, but it would be logical to first implement and learn from individual automated mowers, which are currently technically feasible. FOD Detection and Removal Description FOD detection and removal are important components of an FOD management program; the other important components are prevention (which includes personnel training)
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Detailed Evaluation Results 71 (aircraft operations, maintenance activities, and construction) , airport layout (e.g., proximity of construction areas, maintenance and aircraft operation areas to the taxiways and runways)
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72 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Implementation Scenario The proposed implementation of the safety assist features would be full deployment which is consistent with the current TRL. The proposed implementation of the automated with a safety driver would be a demonstration project.
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Detailed Evaluation Results 73 with research that suggests that the size of an organization contributes to innovation adoption decisions (Kennedy, 1983)
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74 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations various airports. The evaluation methodology and criteria ensures these detection methods to locate golf-ball sized objects within 100 ft (30 m)
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Detailed Evaluation Results 75 Automation with a safety driver requires a higher definition (3 ft or 1 m) map of the airport, along with a layer of high-resolution imagery content, which is used primarily for vehicle localization by matching landmarks.
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76 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations The need for a person for both AGVT applications may reduce the potential for misuse or abuse of the technology since there is no direct threat to employment; however, anecdotally, there are reports of worker resistance and even vandalism to new technologies in the airside environment, particularly on the ramp. This may be less likely since the proposed application is in airport operations, and the vehicle would be checked out to a single person rather than accessible to a wide variety of workers.
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Detailed Evaluation Results 77 Mowing Description Airfield mowing is an important activity and is typically conducted as part of the airport wildlife hazard management plan. Airfield mowing can consume significant resources.
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From page 78... ...
78 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations There have been a number of mowers that utilized AGVT, and models have been used for athletic fields, golf courses, and roadway right-of-way. Examples of AGVT mowers are shown in Figure 24.
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From page 79... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 79 photovoltaic solar panels for charging the mowers and for powering the inductance in the boundary wire, which supports sustainability. At the airport in Sola, the mowers are used throughout the airside.
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80 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations of operating characteristics, they can be implemented closer to the runway, and eventually in the RSA. Initial mowing areas should have relatively low grade, and should not have NAVAIDs or other critical infrastructure that could potentially be damaged and would impact aircraft operations.
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From page 81... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 81 Both automated with no driver and central control mowers would provide valuable information regarding the use of AGVT at airports with minimal risk in terms of potential disruption to aircraft operations. • Technical feasibility.
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82 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Although not evaluated, video for a remote view of operations would be recommended for mowers with dimensions larger than a yard (meter) across, since larger mowers provide a better field of view for video and potentially pose a greater threat if geofencing fails.
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From page 83... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 83 • Stakeholder acceptance and ease of adoption. Mowing is a fairly independent activity; it does not share space with aircraft or ground vehicle operations and there is minimal coordination with other stakeholders.
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84 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations safe aircraft operations. Demonstration of the frangibility of the mowers (e.g., they would be pushed out of the way by an aircraft)
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Detailed Evaluation Results 85 amount of contaminant (snow, slush, or ice) on the pavement, rate of snowfall, moisture content of the snow, pavement temperature, air temperature, and wind, as well as predicted conditions based on the weather forecast.
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From page 86... ...
86 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Information related to winter operations is provided in the following advisory circulars: • AC 150/5200-30D, Airport Field Condition Assessments and Winter Operations Safety, 7/29/2016. This provides information about winter operations, including the Snow and Ice Control Plan, supporting committee, activities, and RCAM.
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From page 87... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 87 can be used to report the percent of runway contaminant for RCAM reporting, and in the future, could be combined with AGVT to enhance the autonomy and/or effectiveness of platoon, and support strategic and efficient placement of deicing material on the pavement. The current technology is in its third generation and utilizes optical devices incorporating gated aperture technologies for improved situational awareness capabilities in low visibility conditions (Team Eagle, 2017b)
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From page 88... ...
88 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations lead vehicle ensures safety since they can monitor the progress of the platoon, as well as interpret and respond to any unexpected circumstances. This may be especially valuable in early implementation since snow removal has been described an art as well as a science, and an experienced snowplow driver adapts their path to reflect the depth and density of the snow, as well as the wind conditions, which can change quickly.
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From page 89... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 89 Long-term, remote operation of SRE may be appropriate for any airport that performs snow removal, and a platoon with a driver in the lead may be appropriate for any airport that uses a platoon of SRE vehicles. For airports that use the same personnel for winter operations tasks and summer mowing tasks, it might make sense in the long term to pair implementation of AGVT for winter operations with AGVT for mowing activities to balance labor requirements throughout the year.
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90 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations For the platooning operation, the driver in the lead will drive the vehicle while one (and in the future more than one) vehicle will follow it in a formulation with predefined or real-time adaptive following distance and lateral offsets.
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Detailed Evaluation Results 91 The solution from Yeti provides a pre-programmed approach (Mogg, 2018)
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92 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations These links can share control status of the leading car and sensor data, to facilitate planning of coordinated trajectories. The intercommunication can be established only as a local network, and physically isolated from the external internet, which will reduce the risk of malicious hacking.
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From page 93... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 93 computer. GPS transponders in each vehicle will be used to provide vehicle location information, which will be considered in conjunction with features and zones identified in the GIS airport map on the in-vehicle computer.
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94 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations increased efficiency, safety, and cost savings. Increased safety associated with a reduced need for overtime may be a particularly compelling component of these technologies, since worker fatigue can cause costly errors or accidents, and few workers embrace the long hours that may extend for days during a severe winter storm (illustrated by the need for and provision of sleeping rooms for winter operations personnel at some airports)
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From page 95... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 95 become increasingly important. In the long term, these issues may become less relevant if winter operations become fully automated; however, compatibility with existing procedures such as communication with ATC and training and situational awareness for human operators who may need to take over operation could become increasingly important.
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From page 96... ...
96 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Perimeter Inspection Description Robust airport perimeter security is needed to ensure public safety and airport security. Airport perimeter security can help prevent events such as the 15-year old boy who climbed a fence at San Jose and flew to Hawaii in the wheel well of an aircraft in 2016 (U.S.
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Detailed Evaluation Results 97 In North America, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has two AVs for security and Edmonton International Airport in Canada is developing an automated security vehicle, as shown in Figure 27.
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98 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations as coyotes and deer (Sarkonak, 2018)
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From page 99... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 99 Airport Characteristics Autonomous perimeter security would be useful at airports that currently conduct multiple perimeter inspections a day and have perimeter terrain that is compatible with vehicle capabilities. Given the high capital cost, it is more appropriate for a commercial airport; however, GA airports with increased security risks (e.g., some joint use airports, airports with security conscious tenants, or airports with enhanced security requirements)
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From page 100... ...
100 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations approved and safe areas. Having both GPS and IMU onboard poses backup capabilities in case one of the motion sensors fails.
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From page 101... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 101 in terms of job elimination, but it would change the nature of the work required, diminishing the need for physical inspections and replacing it with surveillance of video feeds as well as management and maintenance of the autonomous fleet (some of which would likely be contracted out)
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102 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations good CHI for interaction with people that may be encountered and for use by the remote operator (alerts, two-way communication capabilities, operation of the remote boom, etc.)
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Detailed Evaluation Results 103 personnel (typically two wing walkers to ensure wingtip clearance; in some cases, a tail walker may be appropriate)
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104 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations hydraulic power) and places it on the tug, eliminating the need for an adapter such as a towbar (Mototok, 2016)
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Detailed Evaluation Results 105 The challenges of operation in the ramp environment must consider aircraft damage, ground vehicle damage, ramp worker safety, and the need for reliable operation not only for safety but also to ensure adherence to airline schedules, since delays can be costly. Advanced sensors are also used to reduce the likelihood of aircraft damage due to oversteering.
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From page 106... ...
106 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Automated aircraft tug/taxi to runway with a safety driver allows automated operation with a human serving as an observer and backup safety driver who can monitor and take control, if needed. This would be implemented for the taxi to departure runway to reduce aircraft fuel burn and emissions.
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Detailed Evaluation Results 107 pushback. Airlines or ground service providers that have responsibility for multiple gates and flights during the day may be appropriate partners.
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108 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations planning, in addition to the SLAM from the vision-based sensor. Since such an operation could be close to the terminal building, GPS signals may not be satisfactory.
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Detailed Evaluation Results 109 require all communication be verbal, or would require a way for the automated tug to communicate with the flight deck and the ground crew members using visible signals such as flashing lights. • Infrastructure impacts.
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From page 110... ...
110 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Automated with a safety driver might have resistance from workers and unions, if it is seen as an intermediate to facilitate future automation that eliminates jobs; the same possibility would likely garner support from airports and airlines due to the reduction in personnel costs. In the near term, displacement of ramp workers is unlikely since workers can be tasked with other ground crew duties, and the complexity of ramp activities requires a number of manual tasks and manual confirmation of automation; these manual activities are not easily replaced by automation.
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From page 111... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 111 As both pushback AGVT applications do not eliminate the need for a human in the loop, and only stand to increase worker safety and well-being and decrease workload, the potential for misuse or abuse of these AGVT applications is low. The threat to employment is also low.
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From page 112... ...
112 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations demonstration project. This would require a person to return the tug to the terminal.
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Detailed Evaluation Results 113 In the future, implementation in conjunction with aircraft pushback can reduce bottlenecks near the terminal (TaxiBot, 2013)
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114 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations directed away and around from regular aircraft operations or simply put them in normal traffic lines as if they were small aircraft. The tugs that deliver aircraft to the runway for takeoff cannot immediately provide service to landing aircraft since busy airports use different runways for landing and takeoff, and since aircraft taking off are delivered to the downwind end of the runway and landing aircraft need to be collected at the upwind end of the runway.
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From page 115... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 115 of the aircraft. It is necessary to ensure that the airport infrastructure will allow the tugs to return to the terminal using taxiways or access roads.
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From page 116... ...
116 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Automated with driver may meet more individual-level resistance than remote from cockpit since it is a higher level of automation, requires more changes to the operational procedures, and may imply a greater threat to jobs. Evidence has shown that humans are poor monitors of automation (e.g., Sheridan, 2002; Bainbridge, 1983)
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From page 117... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 117 Efficient movement of baggage is critical to efficient and safe aircraft turns. Information related to aircraft ground handling and servicing is provided in the following advisory circular: • AC 00-34A, Aircraft Ground Handling and Servicing, 7/29/1974, provides information for ground handling activities and personnel, although tug and baggage carts are not specifically addressed since the primary focus of the advisory circular is on equipment that directly services the aircraft.
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118 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations Another technology that has been successfully implemented is Power Stow (2018)
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From page 119... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 119 historic and real-time GPS data to improve operations. The proposed safety assist technology would improve airport safety by ensuring compliance with airport speed restrictions, reduce damage by using anti-collision technology, and support safe operation in narrow tunnels and other restricted areas.
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From page 120... ...
120 Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations • Infrastructure impacts. Infrastructure impacts are expected to be minimal, and include good coverage for the GPS signal, an airport GIS map for the operating area, and good pavement markings (e.g., on access roads where LKA will be used)
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From page 121... ...
Detailed Evaluation Results 121 technologies. Other human factors concerns may be workload management issues for supervisors, who now have another tool, but also additional information that must be processed in an already complex and demanding environment.
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