CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -“TaxiBot’s also facilitated in reducing the risk of foreign object debris (FOD) damage to the aircraft during its ground movement and taxiing noise at the airport.

Detailed explanation-2: -Push for green airports According to TaxiBot India, airlines have saved 214, 000 liters of aviation fuel and 230 hours in engine life by using the equipment.

Detailed explanation-3: -The TaxiBot eliminates the use of airplane engines during taxi-in and until immediately prior to take-off during taxi-out, significantly reducing aircraft fuel usage and the risk of foreign object damage.

Detailed explanation-4: -TaxiBot is a semi-autonomous system that enables airplane taxiing without engines running, controlled by the pilot and without shortening NLG life time. A proprietary TaxiBot-aircraft NLG interface mechanism provides pilot steering capability, using the airplane’s existing controls in the cockpit.

Detailed explanation-5: -The taxi bot does not come cheap, though. “It is a very expensive piece of equipment (which) costs you close to 1.7 million euros, ” says Ramachandran. Currently there are three taxi bots in use at the Delhi and Bengaluru airports. India is the only country where taxi bots, an alternate taxing equipment, are being used.