Unmanned Systems Technology 036

Aurrigo shuttle | In operation mechanical and intelligence systems being checked for health and any faults. Given the ongoing concerns surrounding coronavirus and its transmissibility, thorough cleanings were also carried out by on-site staff. While the regenerative braking recouped plenty of energy throughout the day, the battery pack was given a slow trickle charge overnight to ensure a full charge by the morning. Additional future activities In addition to transporting people, Aurrigo is working on an autonomous baggage dolly for ferrying suitcases around airports, having been asked by IAG – the holding company for British Airways, Iberia and several other western European airlines – in mid-2019 to develop such a solution after it saw the success of the PodZero. The proof-of-concept trial was based on fitting a traditional aviation dolly with Aurrigo’s autonomous control system, using a similar sensor set-up to the shuttle and PodZero. Two prototypes were used in the trial, at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5, over the course of six months; from that, Aurrigo has developed its own all- new autonomous dolly. It is currently in discussions with airlines and airport cargo handlers with a view towards future trials of the system. “Dollies haven’t changed in design or build for about 50 years,” Garner says. “Each weighs around 1.5 t unladen, and although they are trailered manually by a tug they occasionally have accidents, with huge cost and delay implications. “Tug drivers can also waste a lot of time waiting around with empty dollies because of how airport logistics work, so we see a huge opportunity to save airports, airlines and cargo handlers costs by providing this new, self-driving, lighter smart dolly.” In the meantime, the postponed Cambridge trials of the shuttle are expected to proceed once the UK’s national lockdown ends (hoped to be in March). The two additional shuttles are being built to work alongside the same one used at the Wales Open, with operations anticipated to be concentrated around the western campus of Cambridge University over a 4 km route. There, the shuttles will use a ridesharing app to allow users to view the locations of the shuttles, book journeys and receive a QR code ticket they can use to enter and exit. Most recently, Aurrigo and its partners have won a bid to trial 5G around the Milton Keynes MK Dons football stadium, as part of a large-scale investigation into the benefits of the technology for driverless vehicles. “The ultra-low latency and quick comms enabled by 5G will be of huge help to autonomous vehicle operations,” Garner says. DECODER ENCODER