AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE FOR AIRPORTS

• Main Authors: Mularoni, Andrew, Kenwood, Corinne, Wende, Josh, Schroeter, Kellen, Gandhi, Arjun, Hoffman, Andrew, Klinger, John, Pratt, JR., John Charles, Blacksberg, Jacob Saul
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.10.2023
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CONTROLLING; COSMONAUTICS; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING ORREPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLYADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFTCOMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TRANSPORTING

Systems and methods provide an autonomous vehicle for operation in an airport. The autonomous vehicle includes a frame, a platform coupled to the frame and configured to support a load, a plurality of obstacle depth sensors positioned relative to the frame and together configured to detect obstacles 360 degrees about the frame, an obstacle planar sensor positioned relative to the frame and configured to detect obstacles in a horizontal plane about the frame, and an electronic processor coupled to the plurality of obstacle depth sensors and the obstacle planar sensor. The electronic processor is configured to operate the autonomous vehicle based on obstacles detected by the plurality of obstacle depth sensors and the obstacle planar sensor.