Engineering and computer science students at Utah Valley University have developed a battery-powered 'tug' that can tow planes from the runway to the jetway, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
Utah Valley University students test a new prototype electric-powered, autonomous aircraft tug, during a demo at Provo Airport on Friday, April 12, 2024. The tug would cut down on airplanes needing to start their engines early by moving them around at busy airports and reducing emissions and jet fuel costs.Their four-wheeled contraption had worked perfectly before reporters showed up, Utah Valley University students promised, as they tinkered with it at the Provo Airport.
Someone else’s problem, the students chimed in — this is likely as far as they’ll take this project before handing it off to the next capstone class — but a solvable one. And if it works, this student-led invention could revolutionize the airport taxiing process. “Jet engines are meant to be at 30,000 feet,” Stone said. “They’re not meant to push things around on the ground. And so, the way engineers think, I guess, I was like, ‘There’s got to be a better way.’”
Utah Valley University computer science student Cache Fulton uses a controller to pilot an autonomous, electric-powered aircraft tug during a demo at Provo Airport on Friday, April 12, 2024. The tug would cut down on airplanes needing to start their engines early by moving them around at busy airports and reducing emissions and jet fuel costs.
“We were blessed that Kolby knows so much about electricity,” Traden said. “He helped us so much with this.”
Utah Students Battery-Powered Tug Planes Gate Fuel-Saving Invention Engineering Computer Science Utah Valley University Runway Jetway Fuel Consumption Emissions
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