Ground support equipment show in Lisbon highlights battery power and autonomous towing

Over 170 suppliers filled Lisbon's FIL exhibition centre for GSE Expo Europe 2026, showing ground support equipment for airports. Two themes ran across the show floor: battery power and autonomous operation.

Nearly every stand had a battery-powered version of its equipment, among them ambulifts, tugs, buses and catering trucks. The electric model was often the headline exhibit, which the organisers linked to continuing demand to cut emissions from airport ground operations.

Autonomous towing, meanwhile, was presented as past the concept stage. The exhibition pointed to partnerships including TLD Robotics' work with EasyMile and TractEasy.

Such systems are put forward as a way to automate repetitive baggage and cargo movements between terminals, aircraft and logistics areas, cutting the need for staff to perform routine driving. They are also described as making vehicle movements more predictable, improving operational efficiency and freeing ground handling teams to concentrate on tasks that need human oversight and intervention.

Overall, the equipment on display pointed to ground operations that rely less on diesel and manual driving, with more weight on efficiency, safety and lower emissions.