by Honda’s autonomous work vehicle, known as the Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV), has been deployed for inspection duties at Toronto Pearson Airport in Canada. Previously introduced in 2018, the AWV is designed to transport heavy materials, assist emergency personnel, and perform maintenance tasks on construction sites, farms, and grounds. After conducting field tests and building prototypes, Honda is now collaborating with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Cisco Canada, Genwave Technologies, Illuminex AI, and Eagle Aerospace to explore potential applications at a working airport.
Jason VanBuren, a representative from Honda, stated that previous field tests have confirmed that the AWV enhances worksite efficiency and safety. As Honda works towards commercializing the AWV, they aim to understand the specific needs of airfield operators and airport authorities to streamline operations, improve safety performance, and contribute to airfield environmental sustainability goals.
The current prototype of the AWV measures 1,300 x 3,025 x 2,052 mm and is equipped with vision cameras, radar, LiDAR, and GPS sensors. It can achieve a top speed of 16 km/h and can either be controlled remotely or autonomously using Honda’s software on a tablet-based interface. The vehicle has a per-charge range of up to 45 km and can be recharged in approximately 6 hours through a 120-V power connection.
With a platform bed capable of carrying up to 399 kg, the AWV can transport equipment around the airport to support the human workforce. It is also rated to tow up to 750 kg, allowing it to perform tasks such as mowing grass, removing debris from runways, or delivering baggage carts to and from aircraft.
For its current duties of fence patrol, the AWV is equipped with Cisco wireless networking technology, supported by Genwave. It utilizes a system designed by Illuminex AI to assess airfield conditions in real-time and report potential hazards. Additionally, it features cloud-based logging software developed by Eagle Aerospace.
Honda is actively seeking partners to explore further applications of the AWV to address challenges such as labor shortages, safety and security, and emissions reductions at airports. The company aims to create new value by streamlining operations, enhancing safety, and contributing to environmental sustainability in the aviation industry.
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- Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
- We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
