A new technology TaxiBot, which is used at airports to reduce carbon emissions

*Paromita Das

Several efforts are currently being made to reduce carbon emissions in all walks of life.

Airports are also attempting to use new equipment in this effort. A TaxiBot is one such thing.

It has been in use since May 2019 at India’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in New Delhi. It was one of the world’s first airports to use it.

If you’re wondering what a TaxiBot is, it’s a special-purpose semi-robotic hybrid vehicle.
This equipment, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, aids in the tornadoless movement of aircraft.

The TaxiBot’s hybrid-electric engine produces 800 horsepower (HP).

What makes it truly unique is that it can be controlled by the pilot from the cockpit using standard controls.

It is commonly used to transport an aircraft from the terminal gate to the take-off point (taxi-out phase) and back to the gate after landing (taxi-in phase).
Two TaxiBots were operational with three airlines at New Delhi’s airport in 2021. In the coming years, that number is expected to rise to 15.

At the airport, it has helped to save approximately 532 tons of carbon by saving 2.14 lakh liters of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) that would have been used by the aircraft during taxing until 2021.

“TaxiBots also helped to reduce the risk of foreign object debris (FOD) damage to the aircraft during ground movement and taxiing noise at the airport.” TaxiBot is useful to ATC because it provides faster apron clearance and assists airlines in reducing turnaround time for their ground operations,” the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) previously stated.