Israeli Semi-robotic Aircraft Towing Vehicles for Indian Airports

Indian airports in New Delhi and Mumbai will soon get semi-robotic aircraft towing vehicle system, ‘Taxibot’ manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

Israel Aerospace Industries has signed an agreement with India's KSU for operation of the aircraft towing system at the airports in New Delhi and Mumbai and will be delivered to the airports in two stages, Globes reported Friday.

In the first phase, TaxiBot vehicles will be delivered to the airports and run in a controlled trial until end 2018. The second phase will involve the delivery of 38 additional vehicles in four years to New Delhi and Mumbai airports as well as to the general Indian market, the report stated.

TaxiBot is a semi-autonomous vehicle that enables airplane taxiing without engines running, controlled by the pilot and without shortening NLG life time.

A proprietary TaxiBot-aircraft NLG interface mechanism provides pilot steering capability, using the airplane's existing controls in the cockpit. Taxiing speed is controlled by the pilot using the A/C brakes.

The TaxiBot system provides the pilot with the same handling characteristics as if taxiing with engines. In most cases no modification to aircraft is required and minor if any modifications to airports infrastructure are required.