Pulkovo Airport Begins Testing Autonomous Ground Equipment
It Is Expected to Improve Labor Efficiency and Speed Up Airport Services.
Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg has begun testing autonomous ground equipment. The tests are being conducted under an experimental legal regime approved by the Russian authorities. At the initial stage, the airport will use an autonomous baggage tractor, as well as self-driving machines for clearing snow from runways and mowing grass.
According to Pulkovo CEO Leonid Sergeev, the number of autonomous vehicles at the airport is eventually expected to reach 83. That would account for about a quarter of all driver-operated vehicles.
“Deploying autonomous transportation will increase labor efficiency by 25%, speed up flight servicing and improve the accuracy of resource planning,” Leonid Sergeev said.
