TaxiBot turns into reality. Before this year’s end, French manufacturer TLD will build a genuine prototype of TaxiBot to replace the present research vehicle. This is the most significant result of the final test runs carried out in Frankfurt on March 25, 2011.
For the March tests, engineers had incorporated all the adjustments and necessary programming derived from Frankfurt’s tests in December 2010. The consortium of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), TLD, Airbus, and Lufthansa LEOS is profoundly satisfied with the results. In order to validate the incorporated improvements, and to catch up for postponed test series, several large “eights” were performed, including repeated acceleration and breaking tests. Simulating a complete docking throughput, gate B22 was approached with ease. Elmar Boje, Lufthansa’s chief pilot of the 747 fleet, was enthused by TaxiBot: “The system already now reaches over 90% compatibility with traditional piloting under own thrust.” In addition, beautiful spring weather allowed TaxiBot to tow at maximum speed of almost 30 km/h for the first time.
Ice, snow, and Siberian temperatures dominated TaxiBot’s test-runs in December. Despite this, valuable findings surfaced regarding TaxiBot’s realistic deployment on a busy airport and its first time towing of a B 747. The best news in December was the perfect functioning of all systems even under severe weather conditions.
