Aurrigo and UPS team up to develop ‘Auto-Cargo’
UPS and Aurrigo have announced a collaborative project to deploy ‘Auto-Cargo’, an autonomous electric vehicle designed to move heavy cargo loads to and from aircraft at the UPS hub at East Midlands airport, the UK’s second-largest cargo terminal.
The vehicle can transport a standard full-size cargo pallet or two half-size aviation industry standard containers (ULDs) up to 7.5 t, and is designed to tow a further fully loaded cargo trailer behind it.
Its autonomous technology, which also produces zero tailpipe emissions, will enable the limited numbers of security-cleared drivers to be freed up to perform other roles around the airport.
The programme, to be developed over the coming 14 months, is supported by matched funding of almost GBP 500,000 from the UK government agencies ‘Innovate UK’ and ‘Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles’ (CCAV). (cj)