At Schiphol, approximately 31,000 pieces of baggage from transferring passengers are handled every day, and the majority of these are processed in the morning.
In a bid to manage the airport’s baggage streams more efficiently, Royal Schiphol Group is collaborating with KLM to test a new autonomous baggage vehicle.
The electric, self-driving baggage vehicle supplied by Aurrigo will transport luggage belonging to passengers with long layovers to a secure storage area, reducing strain on the baggage system during peak hours. The vehicle uses LiDAR sensors to map the platform environment leveraging 3D cameras to navigate the space safely.
Jan Zekveld, Senior Manager Innovation at Royal Schiphol Group said:
“Schiphol is committed to creating a more sustainable, emission-free ground operation. We are replacing our entire vehicle fleet with a connected network of autonomous, emission-free vehicles. By doing so we automate all related processes. Even in an autonomous ground operation, employees will continue to play a crucial role, with their work becoming more varied and supervisory.”
After a successful trail in August 2024, the Aurrigo’s Auto-DollyTug® will now be tested on the pier, a more complex operating environment. If this stage is successful, there are plans to trial it at aircraft stands by the end of the year.
