Aircraft ground operations: steps towards automation

The state of the art of aircraft ground-handling operations at airports is analysed. The overall automation of these activities is addressed and the main challenges to be overcome to build safe and efficient-automated ground-handling systems are identified. The most promising opportunity appears in the short term with docking of ground support equipment to aircraft, then with further autonomous vehicles moving around the aircraft and later with new automated systems within the aircraft. A concept for automated vehicles operation around the aircraft is also presented.