A Taxibot is a semi-robotic towbarless aircraft tractor which can tow an aircraft from a terminal gate to the take-off point and return it to the gate after landing. It aids in reducing fuel cost, improves apron usage and reduces harmful gases.
Delhi Airport is the only airport in the world to adopt this green taxiing solution in May 2019, as a part of Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) strategic initiatives to reduce carbon emissions by planes, and also to become a “net-zero carbon emission airport” by 2030, DIAL said in a release.
At present, two TaxiBots are operational, with three airlines, with overall 15 such equipment expected to be operational over a period of four years, it said.
“Delhi Airport has completed 1,000 movements of sustainable taxing of aircraft with TaxiBot, and thus helped the airport in significantly reducing carbon emission and saving fuel according to the reports publsihed in aviationindia.net.
“The use of TaxiBot”s have helped in reducing around 532 tonnes of Carbon as well as in saving around 214,000 litres of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), which was supposed to be burned by the aircraft during taxiing,” DIAL said.
