Transportation Research Board

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Session Presenter

Primary presenter photo

Sarah Hubbard Professor Purdue University

Sarah Hubbard is a Professor at Purdue University in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. Sarah is a licensed engineer and her work in autonomous vehicles in the airside environment includes ACRP Report 219 and the deployment of airside automated mower at the Purdue Airport, which was the first airside automation project to receive approval from both the FAA Airport Certification & Safety office and FAA Airport Compliance office.

Co-presenter photo

Joanna Phillips Pattern Labs

Joanna Phillips is Director of Systems and Performance at Pattern Labs. Her background is rooted in startup settings, where she has led efforts to take robotic systems from the early R&D stages through proof-of-concept and into market-ready deployment. At Pattern, this includes designing how their systems are used across different process pathways, and validating them to meet safety, reliability and operational requirements. At this conference, she will present on the validation of an autonomous baggage cart, sharing insights on performance testing, operational integration, and the challenges of deploying robots in safety-critical, highly regulated airport environments.

Co-presenter photo

Abstract
Autonomous Ground Support Equipment: A Case Study of Pattern Lab’s Autonomous Baggage Cart at Purdue University Airport (LAF)

By Sarah Hubbard and Adam Baxmeyer, Purdue University and Joanna Phillips and Kellen Schroeter, Pattern Labs

The rapid advancement of autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies is reshaping mobility across multiple sectors, and airports are increasingly becoming testbeds for early adoption. While much of the national attention has focused on autonomous passenger vehicles operating on airport roadways, autonomous ground support equipment (GSE) offers an equally transformative opportunity for improving safety, efficiency, and workforce allocation within the airside environment. This presentation examines a first of its kind case study of Pattern Lab’s autonomous baggage cart deployed at Purdue University Airport (LAF). The presentation will discuss steps taken to ensure operational safety and compliance with FAA requirements for Testing and Demonstrating Autonomous Ground Vehicle Systems (AGVS) at Federally Obligated Airports. The case study is discussed in the context of broader AV developments at airports, both landside and airside, and how it may affect future airport master planning and operations.