Brussels Airport trials autonomous electric tow tractor for cargo

Brussels Airport has started a real-world trial of an autonomous electric tow tractor used to shuttle cargo trailers between warehouses and aircraft parking positions. The airport said the test marks the first live trial of autonomous cargo transport equipment at a Belgian airport.

The pilot is being run in cooperation with ground handler WFS Cargo and Charlatte Autonom, a joint venture formed by Charlatte Manutention and Navya Mobility that develops autonomous vehicles for airside and logistics use.

According to the airport, the vehicle is designed to operate without a driver while moving trailers across the cargo apron, a task normally carried out by manned tow tractors. Details on the scope of the trial, including how many vehicles are involved and the length of the testing period, were not fully specified in the available material.

Autonomous ground vehicles have been trialled at several airports in recent years as operators look to reduce reliance on manual labour for repetitive apron tasks and improve efficiency in cargo handling. Brussels Airport's test focuses specifically on trailer movement between storage facilities and aircraft, a link in the logistics chain that can create bottlenecks during peak cargo periods.

No safety incidents or operational disruptions linked to the trial were reported. The airport did not indicate a timeline for a possible wider rollout of the technology beyond the current test phase.