Shifting readiness of Prague Airport for safe operations of autonomous tow tractors

Increasing complexity of airport operations, coupled with the chronic shortage of ground handling staff, has accelerated developments of innovative technological solutions. Among these, the deployment of autonomous ground service equipment has emerged as a promising response to both operational and sustainability challenges. The first and most advanced today are autonomous tow tractors. The problem is: how should airports prepare themselves for the arrival of revolutionary new technology? This paper aims at shifting the readiness of airports, with a focus on Prague Airport, for the autonomous vehicles, i.e. to identify the main safety gaps and requirements that will need to be addressed and met. For such purpose, it follows a multi-method approach including revalidation of existing requirements for the aerodrome operators, identification of additional safety requirements, revalidation of the hotspots identified and a survey of current and planned technologies that can contribute to meeting the requirements. The revalidated requirements include the creation of a digital map of the airport, the definition of routes, the establishment of emergency zones and safe stopping points in the event of emergencies. It is also necessary to ensure a reliable communication infrastructure, to connect vehicles to the control systems and to train staff and security forces. The newly added requirements are: Manoeuvring at aircraft stand and Autonomous charging infrastructure. The hotspots previously identified remain valid. The mapping of current and planned modern technologies revealed which ones can help to meet the requirements and effectively support the future integration of autonomous tow tractors into airport operations.