Dnata launches fleet of autonomous vehicles at Dubai airport

The AED 6 million (US$ 1.6 million) project begins with Level 3 autonomy involving minimal human oversight and will advance to Level 4 autonomy with full self-driving capabilities in controlled environments by early 2026.

Beyond daily operations, dnata plans to use this deployment as a testbed for different operating models for autonomous ground handling. The aim is to find the most effective approach for broader implementation as DWC expands its capacity significantly.

"This is an important step forward for both dnata and the wider aviation industry," stated Jaffar Dawood, Divisional Senior Vice President for UAE Airport Operations at dnata. "While autonomous vehicles have largely been limited to trials, this deployment brings the technology into regular day-to-day operations."

Rich Reno, CEO of TractEasy, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: "TractEasy is proud and excited to partner with an industry leader like dnata and blaze a safe and efficient autonomous trail for others to follow."

Autonomous ground support equipment has emerged as a key area of innovation recently. According to IATA, similar trials are underway in over 15 countries but remain mostly in early testing or small-scale pilots.

Dnata's latest deployment places it at the forefront of this shift and aligns with its broader innovation agenda. This follows successful integration of autonomous drones into warehouse operations which improved processing times and shipment tracking accuracy.

This rollout results from over a year of collaboration among dnata, TractEasy, Dubai Airports, and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), working together on creating regulatory frameworks for autonomous vehicle operations in airside environments.