Airbus successfully completed the Autonomous Taxi, Take-Off and Landing (ATTOL-Autonomous Taxi, Take-Off & Landing) project, following a two-year comprehensive test flight program.
While completing this project, Airbus carried out autonomous taxi, takeoff and landing of a commercial aircraft with fully automated vision based flight tests using the built-in image recognition technology, a world first in aviation.
More than 500 test flights were carried out in total. Approximately 450 of these flights are allocated to collect raw video data, support algorithms, and fine-tune, while a full six series of test flights, each including five takeoffs and landings, were used to test independent flight capabilities.
Developed by Airbus, the ATTOL project was launched to enable pilots to discover how autonomous technologies work, including the use of machine learning algorithms and automated tools for data labeling, processing and modeling, and to help them focus more on strategic decision making and task management rather than aircraft operations. Airbus analyzes the capabilities of these advanced technologies to improve future aircraft operations and increase flight safety.
Using all these opportunities, Airbus offers opportunities to create new business models by demonstrating how the development, manufacture, flight, empowerment and service delivery of aircraft have changed, while continuing research on the implementation of autonomous technologies, among other innovations such as materials, alternative propulsion systems and connectivity.
Under the leadership of Airbus UpNext, rapid development and demonstration of ATTOL's capabilities are possible thanks to a cross-functional global team consisting of Airbus engineering and technology teams, Airbus Defense and Space, Acubed (Project Wayfinder), Airbus China and ONERA.
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