INVECPRO: the autonomous tractor that wants to change airport handling
Every time an aircraft lands, a choreography begins on the ground: towing, loading, refuelling... These operations, known as handling, depend on vehicles that today are mostly diesel. INVECPRO was born to change that: to develop a 100% electric tow tractor, with extended autonomy thanks to a hydrogen fuel cell and capable of moving autonomously.
The objective is clear: less emissions, more safety and more efficient processes, thus responding to the challenges of decarbonisation and digitalisation in the airport sector, and aligning with the European strategies of Industry 4.0 and the hydrogen roadmap.
The new model will be able to tow aircraft up to 150 tonnes, replacing the existing diesel model
The new model, called TA-20EH2, will be able to tow aircraft up to 150 tonnes, replacing the existing TA-20 diesel.
It will incorporate cutting-edge technologies: hydrogen fuel cell electric propulsion, autonomous driving algorithms based on machine vision and sensory fusion, and a digitalisation system that will optimise manufacturing through an IoT platform and a digital twin of the plant.
This ambitious project is developed in cooperation between EINSA, responsible for the design and construction of the vehicle, and Izertis, which contributes its experience in industrial digitalisation and the development of intelligent algorithms. In addition, the Technological Institute of Castilla y León (ITCL) collaborates in technological development and validation tasks.
INVECPRO is the first Izertis project in autonomous driving, which opens the door to future developments in mobile robotics and industrial automation.
Software design and deployment
To enable the tractor to move without a driver, Izertis takes responsibility for designing and deploying the software for the autonomous driving of the vehicle. It has designed algorithms that combine cameras, LiDAR, radar and GPS to interpret the environment, detect signs painted on the ground and plan safe routes. It has also created an IoT platform that connects the entire assembly line, records the traceability of parts and allows production to be simulated prior to manufacture.
The development of the project included visits to Seville airport to collect data and train the algorithms in a realistic environment, simulating taxiing manoeuvres using a digital twin that faithfully reproduces a runway. To ensure the accuracy and reliability of autonomous navigation, detailed models of the TA20 tractor, the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft, and the connecting rod linking the vehicle to the aircraft were developed, incorporating simulated sensors and cameras to replicate real operating conditions.
The tests have been carried out in three-dimensional simulated environments that reproduce the Andalusian airport in detail, including runways, signalling and manoeuvring areas, where critical manoeuvres such as towing and pushing aircraft have been validated.
Currently, the physical prototype is almost complete and the autonomous driving software is integrated. Laboratory tests and advanced simulations are being completed, and work is underway to validate the system under real conditions.
''INVECPRO represents our first project in the automotive and autonomous driving field. With it, we expand our experience to develop advanced robotics projects in the future, even on humanoids'', says the Izertis team involved in the project.
INVECPRO represents our first project in the automotive and autonomous driving field
The expected impact is significant: zero emissions on the runway thanks to electrification and hydrogen, safer and more efficient operations with less human intervention, and smart manufacturing based on traceability and optimised planning.
The project will be completed in December 2025, marking a milestone in the sustainable modernisation of airport handling.
This project is part of the tractor project called INVECPRO - Industrial and transversal research for a new generation of high added value professional EVs, funded by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade through the 2022 call of the PERTE (Strategic Project for the Recovery and Economic Transformation) of the electric vehicle (file number VEC-010000-2022-10).