AIR cargo handler Sats has signed a memorandum of understanding with aircraft maintenance provider SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) to develop a proof of concept (POC) for autonomous buses to transport airport staff around Changi Airport’s airside.
The three companies on Wednesday (Jul 17) said this collaboration is part of Changi Airport’s collective effort to automate routine driving tasks so airside professionals can focus on more complex activities, while presenting opportunities for job redesign and upskilling.
“The parties hope the POC will also encourage the wider development and deployment of autonomous solutions to improve airside manpower productivity,” they added.
The POC will commence in the third quarter of 2024. It will be monitored by an “on-board safety driver” and be conducted in two phases – first in a sterile environment, before the second phase in the live operational environment.
The initial two-year collaboration was co-funded under the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore’s Aviation Development Fund. The fund, set up in 2010, aims to support the development and growth of the aviation industry.
Besides improving staff mobility and enhancing workforce productivity, SIAEC’s executive vice-president of operations and chief sustainability officer, Foo Kean Shuh, said the seamless integration of autonomous buses into airport operations will also improve road safety and in the longer term, optimise airside vehicle numbers to reduce congestion.
The initiative will further Sats’ vision of transforming aviation hub handling through digitalisation and automation, said Henry Low, chief operating officer at Sats and chief executive designate at Sats Singapore Hub. In Europe, for instance, the group has invested in several POCs for autonomous guided vehicles, including airside cargo transportation vehicles and forklifts.
Yeo Kia Thye, CAG managing director of airport operations control, added that the trial of autonomous buses will also complement other ongoing automation trials at Changi Airport. These include the use of autonomous vehicles for baggage transportation and the automation of the Passenger Loading Bridge, also known as an aerobridge.
Sats closed at S$3.27 on Wednesday, down 1.5 per cent or S$0.05. Meanwhile, SIAEC shares closed flat at S$2.43.
