Automated systems would take over after landing, to help improve airside security
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is examining potential applications of unmanned air vehicle technologies to commercial airliners and airport support systems to reduce direct human involvement in aircraft ground movement and handling.
Paul Polski, chief of staff in the DHS office of security technologies, says the department is concerned at potential threats posed by staff working with aircraft ground-handling systems, and says leveraging UAV technologies could offer a viable alternative. The concept is part of the DHS's comprehensive airport programme (CAP).
Polski told the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' Unmanned Unlimited conference in Chicago last month that CAP "is a dead serious programme - I am building it as an unmanned vehicle airport, airside at least".
He says the initiative would entail fitting an autonomous ground manoeuvring system with an electric drive motor into the nose undercarriage of airliners to replace ground tug vehicles.
Modified airliners would land under human control, but the autonomous ground systems would take over from the end of the runway, with the main engines shutting down. Electricity from the aircraft's auxiliary power unit would be fed to the nose-wheel motor, with autonomous guidance software manoeuvring the aircraft to a pre-allocated ramp space. Early shutdown of engines would help increase fuel efficiency, says Polski.
Existing ramp support systems, such as cargo-loading vehicles, food-loading vehicles, sewerage trucks and fuel tankers, would be progressively replaced with fully automated systems.
The initiative is being supported by Boeing, Science Applications International and the US National Safe Skies Alliance, which comprises 60 companies.
The proposed end state would see a passenger aircraft arriving on a ramp being met by just four automatic umbilical connections, including a passenger bridge.
PETER LA FRANCHI / CHICAGO
Source: Flight International
