february2021 - 20

TECHNOLOGY

With ThorDrive's sensors and software,
gathering the data for artificial intelligence
and machine learning, Wollard's primary
role in the project has been assisting with
hardware integration, including integrating
autonomous tech with control mechanisms
for steering, speed monitoring and braking.
The progress made so far indicates
opportunities for other autonomous units.
" We've got two more tractors in production that will eventually head toward ThorDrive, " Taylor says, noting these include an
electric baggage tractor.
" We've certainly talked about other
pieces of GSE kit, be it belt-loaders, even
to some degree tractors, pushbacks, towing
tractors, cargo tractors, " he continues. " But
it's crawl, walk, run at this point. So, baggage tractors are our crawl stage. "

The Testing Environment
ThorDrive was able to demo its technology
in December 2020 after months of mapping
the airport and acquiring sufficient data.
Using a Ford Transit van to collect data
and map the airport allowed ThorDrive to
apply the information gathered to the operation of Wollard's baggage tractor.
" They first drove and mapped out the
area of the non-movement, then they
trained those computers for hours and
hours to make sure they had every scenario.
Even then, each subsequent drive in autonomous mode continues to feed the computer's added scenarios. It's always learning,
while maintaining maximum ramp speed
limits, stopping at every stop and following
other rules of the vehicle service roads, "
Marx says.
" There was an accelerated opportunity
due to COVID, because of the reduced
operations, " she says. " There was an ability

Photo courtesy of ThorDrive

" Over most of 2020, the work we've done
is developing - first - the digital maps of
the area and then essentially teaching the
software how to recognize things that
are in its environment, " he adds. " For
example, it recognizes the airplane and
what to do when it sees it and it responds
as programmed. Also, the very same for
wing-walkers, other vehicles, stop signs
and things like that. "
With fairly standard features, including
a 4,000 lb. drawbar pull, 2-wheel drive,
2-wheel steer and front and rear hitches,
it was primarily the cab-forward design of
Wollard's M-40 tractor that lent itself to
ThorDrive's technology.
" Really it becomes a function of being
able to locate all of the sensor packages in
more opportune locations, " Taylor explains.
" To mount the sensor packages on a conventional tractor, where the operator sits
behind the engine, there's not as many
mounting opportunities for the sensor
package.
" That's how this particular unit was
selected, " Taylor continues. " The cameras and the LiDAR and the radars were
mounted all around the cab and around
the windshield of the unit. "
The tractor is fitted with bright LEDs,
which indicate how the tractor is operating.
" Essentially, when they're green, it's in
autonomous mode and operating normally.
That way it signals to the people around it,
'Don't be surprised if it starts to move.' In
Red Mode, it would mean that it's encountered something that's forced a stop, or it's
encountered something it's not sure about. "
Also, there are emergency " e-stop " buttons in the cab and on the outside of the
vehicle, ensuring that anyone can power
down the tractor in an emergency.

20 GROUND SUPPORT WORLDWIDE

FEBRUARY 2021

to have more access on the aircraft apron
area and around the gates. I think they're
lightyears or at least many months ahead of
other competition when it comes to knowing how to work in an airport environment,
dynamically - not just like a roller coaster
going on the same path. "
After beginning the project, CVG
enacted an ordinance in October 2020,
officially allowing autonomous equipment
to operate on airport property.
" Just like any law or rules, on one hand
it can be a rule where people feel stifled, "
Marx says of the ordinance. " For me, I see
it as something that, 'Hey, you can use this,
we support it and we expect to collaborate
with you.' Not only do we promote this as
an ordinance that you can move forward on.
But we also have companies actively working on the campus and looking to partner
for further development and deployment. "
What's more, Marx says the ordinance
brought attention to safety personnel and
airside workers that an autonomous vehicle
was in operation.
" If they see something moving without
a person, they're not taken aback, and they
know about it, " she says. " It's an early-stage
cultural shift to engage staff rather than
surprise. "
Marx notes that airport officials received
feedback from airport tenants, including
passenger and cargo airlines that had an
interest in learning more about autonomy.
" So, we also wanted to make sure that we
were able to say, 'Yes, this is something you
can do,' " she says.
While several stakeholders were curious
about autonomous vehicles, there is still the
important element of building trust in the
technology to encourage adoption.
" ThorDrive's team, they jumped through
every possible scenario, " says Marx. " They
learned how to drive in the airport environment through our police officers. They
worked with our airfield operations guys
to make sure that they could map areas at
certain times of the day. They completed all
of the badging and the insurance requirements, in general.
" ThorDrive has taken every step necessary to make sure that they are able to work
in the airport. They even built outstanding
operating procedures for their own team for

february2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of february2021