A transportation system and method serve passenger-conveying VTOL air vehicles (AVs) at a vertiport. The vertiport has a flight deck including at least one landing pad, a passenger terminal, and a dynamic partition arrangement that defines a capsule for receiving one of the AVs at a time. The dynamic partition arrangement assumes a first open state in which it is open to the flight deck and closed to the passenger terminal and a second open state in which it is closed to the flight deck and open to the passenger terminal. A robotic system includes a handling robot that automatically approaches and docks with the AV after landing, and conveys the AV between the landing pad and the capsule via an opening provided by the first open state of the dynamic partition.

An aircraft tow vehicle and methods of towing an aircraft are disclosed. An aircraft tow vehicle comprises an aircraft structural interface configured to couple to a wheel assembly of a main landing gear of an aircraft; and an aircraft towing propulsive force system configured to propel the aircraft forward when the aircraft structural interface is coupled to the wheel assembly.

A wireless remote controlled rotorcraft tug assembly and method of maneuvering a rotorcraft positions a rotorcraft, of the type having skids, through use of a remote controlled low-profile tug vehicle that maneuvers in a tight 360 motion to maneuver the rotorcraft to a desired location, and operates multiple arms to raise, lower, and support the rotorcraft. A forward support arm and at least one lever arm are selectively movable through hydraulic or electrical means to engage the undercarriage of the fuselage for raising, lowering, and supporting the rotorcraft. A lateral arm connects to the skids from free ends to raise and lower the rotorcraft by the skids. A motor advances the tug vehicle by powering a drive wheel. A guide wheel attaches to a steering mechanism and enables 360 turns and precise maneuverability. A radio receiver and transmitter work to remotely control the motor and the arm control subassembly.

A towing vehicle for aircraft and method for towing an aircraft. The towing vehicle has a chassis, running gear that carries the chassis, and drive, which drives the running gear for moving the chassis. A support wheel receiving device is mounted on the chassis so that it can rotate around a vertical compensation axis of rotation, in particular within a 360 degree rotational range, relative to the chassis. A rotary drive drives the support wheel receiving device. A sensor array with alignment sensors senses alignment of the aircraft relative to the alignment sensors. The towing vehicle has a digital control unit to regulate rotational position of the support wheel receiving device as a function of the sensed alignment of the aircraft relative to the alignment sensors by the rotary drive to keep alignment of the support wheel receiving device relative to the aircraft within a prescribed range.

One variation of a tram system includes: a chassis; a latch configured to selectively engage a latch receiver mounted to an aircraft; an alignment feature adjacent the latch and configured to engage an alignment receiver mounted to the aircraft and to communicate acceleration and braking forces from the chassis into the aircraft; an optical sensor facing upwardly from the chassis; a drivetrain configured to accelerate and decelerate the chassis along a runway; and a controller configured to detect an optical fiducial arranged on the aircraft in optical images recorded by the optical sensor adjust a speed of the drivetrain to longitudinally align the alignment feature with the alignment receiver based on positions of the optical fiducial detected in the optical images, trigger the latch to engage the latch receiver once the aircraft has descended onto the chassis, and trigger the drivetrain to actively decelerate the chassis during a landing routine.

A ground service vehicle system employs autonomous vehicles that can be reconfigured with interchangeable service modules to provide different services. The autonomous service vehicles can be remotely controlled and dispatched in swarms to provide different services at a location.

The application relates to an aircraft towing system for an airport (1) having at least one towing zone (10) for said aircraft (15). The towing system includes: at least one tow-tractor (21) configured to be operated remotely by means of a wireless connection; a control device intended to be connected to the tow-tractor (21) using the wireless connection and able to control said tow-tractor; and a first sensor (23) intended to equip the towing zone (10) and suitable for supplying information about elements (11A, 11B, 11C) likely to be encountered by the aircraft (15) and/or the tow-tractor (21). The control device is further configured to collect the information supplied by the at least one first sensor (23) and exploit it in controlling the tow-tractor (21) to tow the aircraft (15).

An integrated pushback guidance system and method is provided for guiding pushback travel of electric taxi system-driven aircraft. The pushback guidance system may be integrated with existing ramp monitoring systems to monitor reverse pushback travel of pilot-controlled electric taxi system-driven aircraft along an optimum pushback path from a stand to a pushback end location. Visual signals relating to pushback travel safety as the pilot drives the aircraft along the pushback path are generated in real time by the system and transmitted to a range of display devices viewable by the aircraft pilot and airport personnel responsible for guiding aircraft pushback. The pilot may be guided by visual signals on only display devices or with guidance from airport personnel also viewing the visual signals on display devices to drive the aircraft safely in reverse with the electric taxi system along the pushback path to the pushback end location.

One variation of a tram system includes: a chassis; a latch configured to selectively engage a latch receiver mounted to an aircraft; an alignment feature adjacent the latch and configured to engage an alignment receiver mounted to the aircraft and to communicate acceleration and braking forces from the chassis into the aircraft; an optical sensor facing upwardly from the chassis; a drivetrain configured to accelerate and decelerate the chassis along a runway; and a controller configured to detect an optical fiducial arranged on the aircraft in optical images recorded by the optical sensor adjust a speed of the drivetrain to longitudinally align the alignment feature with the alignment receiver based on positions of the optical fiducial detected in the optical images, trigger the latch to engage the latch receiver once the aircraft has descended onto the chassis, and trigger the drivetrain to actively decelerate the chassis during a landing routine.

An assistance vehicle designed for supplying electrical energy to an electric taxiing device of an aircraft landing gear when the aircraft is moving over the ground. The assistance vehicle includes an autonomous energy source, a connector enabling it to be coupled to the aircraft and to electrically power the electric taxiing device. When an assistance instruction comprising the aircraft position is received, the assistance vehicle moves in an autonomous manner so as to reach the position of the aircraft, is automatically connected to the electric taxiing device when the assistance vehicle reaches the position of the aircraft and switches into freewheeling mode. When the assisted move has finished, the assistance vehicle is separated from the electric taxiing device and switches back into tractor mode. Thus, the electrical power supply system of the aircraft is simplified by externalizing the electrical supply of the electric taxiing device.