Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome back to Take Off, a podcast where we dive into the trends and technologies shaping
(00:05):
the future of aviation and automotive and the people that make it happen.
The views and opinions shared here are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily
reflect a Aurrigo International PLC.
The podcast is for informational purposes only.
Some forward-looking statements might come up, which are just projections and are subject
to change.
Now that that's out of the way, I'm Tenille Houston and today I'm joined by Miles Garner,
(00:28):
who is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Aurrigo.
Welcome, Miles.
Good morning, Tenille.
So glad to have you on here.
I know you've been with the company basically since the beginning for a long time.
Yeah, I have, yeah.
So 10 years is the second time around.
So I was here about 20 or 30 years ago, the first time, where we had an RDM as the business
(00:53):
and we had a telematics type of product called AutoText, which was a track-in type product
we used to sell into the OEMs or cars and we then ended up then actually selling that
to another company and I then actually went across with that company and I was there for
a while and then came back 10 years ago.
(01:15):
Wow, that's so interesting.
In the first episode, we touched on who is a Aurrigo, what were we doing in the automotive
space and how we came to aviation.
So that's, I never heard about the AutoText, so that's always great to kind of tie that
in.
And then today, we're excited because again, we just talked about who Aurrigo is as a company
and why we're in the aviation space.
(01:37):
So we figured on this episode, second one out the gate, we're going to talk about what's
happening in the aviation space when it comes to automation, right?
So what are we seeing out there?
What are some of the advancements?
And I figured there'd be nobody better to talk to it about than you because you're out
there, you're talking with customers every day, you're seeing what they're looking to
do with their innovation timelines and what they're already doing right now because there
(02:01):
is automation as we know, not just with our stuff but other items in airports today.
So I wanted to open up to see what have you been seeing out there?
What are some of the key things that people are trying and have you seen any trends really
with some of these airports and what they're starting with?
It's a really good question.
So automation in the aviation industry is quite interesting because aviation has had
(02:24):
all Tomliss aircraft now ever since the end of the 60s.
So this isn't sort of really, really new to them as an aircraft in the air for landing.
Automation on the ground though is really, really ever so new.
And if you think that the way cargo plus also for baggage is collected off of aircraft,
(02:46):
it hasn't really, really changed in sort of over 60 to 70 years.
It is a guy and a tug with a lot of dollars taken the baggage, collected it and it's a
really, really is a manual type of process.
So the industry are now sort of looking at ways of how do we improve that?
How do we make it ever so smart?
And the type of conversations that I'm having are with airlines, with airports, also the
(03:11):
ground handlers as well.
Yeah, that makes sense.
I mean, there's so much out there now.
I've been starting to see when we've been having these conversations, some other pieces
of equipment like autonomous mowers, for example, which I think that makes complete sense.
It seems like that would almost, I don't know, that might almost even be one of the easiest
use cases, right?
You're going, you're mowing a very particular area on the airfield at a very set time every
(03:34):
day or every, however often is needed.
So I've definitely been seeing, I feel like autonomous mowers, autonomous snow plows here
in Canada, we need that.
Even Changi, I know that they were working on some of the jet bridges that were automated.
So seeing those pain points and seeing how can automation start to close those gaps from
(03:56):
A to B, and then moving into, of course, moving that baggage that we're, of course, seeing
that big pain point.
And that's obviously why we got into the industry.
And I know that you were, of course, around when we decided, let's go ahead and test this
out when IAG approached us for our very first POC.
Can you tell us all a little bit about that?
Yeah, sure.
(04:16):
So we entered the aviation industry really on the back of a telephone call.
And it literally, it was a call, came in to the office, called the call who took the call
initially.
And we then had a conversation with their innovation team.
And they asked us, we've come across your company, we can see everything that you're
(04:38):
doing on the passenger side of the business.
So we see that you have an autonomous pod that can carry up to four people.
Could you take that tech?
And could you then, as you put it, into a traditional type of dolly?
And we said, as we always do here, of course we can.
(04:58):
And we had a couple of their normal type of dollars.
And we then took our technology out of the auto pod.
And we then put it into these traditional top dollars to literally, it was all the sensors.
We had to turn it into a vehicle as a first off because like a dolly is just a very, very
(05:20):
standard.
It's a lot of sort of crater wheels really.
It's interesting they brought the dolly first as opposed to, obviously we know some of our
competitors are putting sensors on baggage tractors.
So very intriguing that they brought a dolly and said, what can you do here?
Absolutely.
So that was their idea to put it on to like a dolly initially.
(05:40):
So that's what we done.
And we took that to Terminal 5 at Heathrow 2018 and we then actually ran that as a proof
of concept.
So it was all about can we do it?
So to the target was can we collect empty cans, ULDs on the body?
(06:02):
And we take that to the empty can error, collect one and it was literally can we do it?
We done it.
And that really was our sort of entry point into the aviation space.
Up until that point, we really honestly, we didn't know anything about aviation at all.
(06:22):
You know, as a business, we've kind of actually been around cars now for over 30 years.
We understand how to make a vehicle.
So aviation, yeah, really, really interesting for us.
That's how we started.
I always think, you know, when people mention the aviation and how we say, yeah, we got
into it early, you know, in 2018, 2019.
(06:45):
But it translated so well because the fact that we started with our shuttles in these,
you know, intense operational domains in public traffic with other vehicles, with people,
with everything you can think of as, you know, the interjector point.
Now that we can do that.
And we have this controlled chaos is kind of again, what I call it when it comes airside,
(07:05):
right?
There's so much happening, but everybody knows kind of what everyone else is doing.
There are rules of the road that are followed much, much better than there are within, you
know, the public domain.
So it's this almost dance between, you know, catering trucks and fuel trucks and people
and baggage, trucks and tractors and pushbacks and people walking out, you know, onto the
(07:26):
onto the jetway.
So it's interesting that we were able to take that knowledge and then push it into the space.
And we're just finding obviously so many airports and airlines that believe that this
is a problem that could be solved through automation.
Hence the reason we decided to turn and focus the business, of course, in that space.
Now, I will say, you know, when we're talking to customers, what are some of the things
that you're hearing as those key pain points?
(07:48):
Why do they see automation as the answer for baggage and cargo?
Yeah, I think there's a number of reasons.
I mean, on your earlier outline, which is absolutely true, there has to be a commercial
reason for anyone to actually purchase an autonomous vehicle.
And the problem is that you can test on roads and there's companies around the world that
(08:12):
have actually spent lots, lots of money on testing and they're paranoins that are actually
testing now.
There isn't currently that sort of customers wanting an autonomous vehicle to take them
from A to B. They're interested in the tech and they absolutely should actually love it.
There isn't that rural commercial reason.
Aviation, there is a commercial reason.
(08:35):
And the commercial reasons are turnaround of aircraft.
If you can cut down that turnaround, even by 10 minutes on a short haul, typically it's
about half an hour.
If you can actually cut that down to 20 minutes, well then over the whole of a 24-hour period,
you can obviously then actually feed in a lot more aircraft on a stand.
(08:56):
So that is extra money to the airlines, to the airports, to the GSEs and everyone else.
So there has to be a commercial application.
Also in the back of COVID as well, I think everyone's aware of those type of challenges
where the industry on aviation pretty much closed down over passenger.
(09:16):
Cargo or course, Caradon.
The whole of the world had to keep on ticking over.
So cargo, Caradon going.
Passenger, it just collapsed.
So quite a lot of the infrastructure and all the people, all of them left.
They went to work for like supermarkets where you could earn more than what you're earning.
(09:37):
And you're not outside in the cold or in the heat and 24 hours a day.
So they haven't returned.
So the industry actually needs to look at tech.
You can then actually help with that lack of the baker chandelers and the world's want
to do it as well.
So those were really the two key top of leverages.
(10:02):
Yeah, before us getting into aviation and in my prior life, I love traveling.
That's obviously my passion.
You know me very well.
But I've never looked out a window and thought to myself the working conditions of a bag
with Chandler.
You just don't, I guess it just doesn't click.
But yeah, I mean people are traveling in the winter during the holiday season and it's
(10:22):
just brutal.
Of course, we are working in Singapore where the rain is just coming down nonstop.
And you start to think of these guys and the heat, right?
You're out there on the tarmac again.
And it's just all of these things.
So I think it's such an important role that technology can help to supplement that.
(10:42):
And we're also starting to hear from leaders in the industry.
I've heard the team at Schipel talk a lot about what does it look like for moving baggage
and actual regulations of course that are coming out now that say you can only move
so much weight because again, it's just this intense.
Not only do you have the weather, but it's so much on your body as well.
So there's recommendations and regulations coming where people are only going to be able
(11:06):
to move so much weight.
So how do you then, what does that shift look like?
But if you have automation that can help support those workers, right?
I think that that's where everybody wins.
It becomes a better work environment.
Hopefully that starts to pull a new generation of workers back in that can work with this
technology.
It can keep things moving towards airports and airlines because now as we're seeing
(11:31):
post COVID travel is now like soaring, everybody's back in, they missed it.
So it's like the opposite where everything is just coming down on these airports and
airlines to end ground handlers to get things moving along.
So definitely automation could be the way forward.
Have you ever thought like obviously in this space, what is something that you would love
to see automated in life that would make your life easier that is not automated now?
(11:57):
Automated in life.
That's a good question.
I should have thought about that one before we had that call.
I spend to put people on the spot though.
I always say that the cleaning of the house, but of course, and people will be like, well,
you have broom buzz, you have those little vacuums, but it's not the full, it's not everything,
right?
I've got a kid.
Wouldn't that be cool if something could just run after them and clean up everything?
(12:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Actually, I'm in.
I'm in will be great.
There you go.
I have an iron and it's one of those chores that you do and all the time you're doing
it, you're thinking, I hate this.
Why don't I just hang up a shirt?
I'm actually hiding this one there because it doesn't bind all that well.
(12:41):
It is a terrible, terrible job that if that could have some automation, that would be
very good.
That makes sense.
Robots are coming, so hopefully that doesn't pull that far away.
Sometimes it's the little things that just would make everybody's life so much easier.
Same thing, my coffee is brewed.
Obviously, there's a program, but I would love it just like when I wake up, that fresh
(13:01):
cup is just sitting there perfectly made for me and ready to go.
It's the little things in life.
Maybe that'll be our subtext later as we attack the aviation industry, then we look for some
kind of new thing.
We'll start to do the little minute details that work out.
I appreciate you chatting with me about this.
We're seeing a lot of airports and airlines interested in automation, a lot of calls going
(13:24):
out.
We're mostly in our Ottawa office, a lot of bids and discussions surrounding automation
within North America, within Europe.
Really, I don't know of anywhere that's not looking into this space right now, putting
out bids or RFIs, requests for information to learn more about what could be done.
(13:46):
I think hosting people, showcasing this innovation, talking about it is what's really going to
help connect all the dots and hopefully we can bring this into a new age.
Yeah, absolutely.
The sort of conversations that we have are with airports, airlines, the ground handlers,
(14:06):
companies that are looking at a brand new airport.
How do we actually make an airport off a day one that could accommodate all autonomous
vehicles because it's a lot easier if you plan that as a day one as opposed to integrating.
To the top of conversations we have are really, really, very varied and it's really, really
(14:29):
exciting to talk to all those lots of different top sectors as well in this space.
It's a really good section.
Yeah, it'll be fun.
So follow us for more, of course.
We appreciate everybody for tuning in and listening.
We're going to learn more about various types of automation in the aviation industry, the
automotive industry, and other tech that drives the world forward as we move through
(14:51):
our awesome new podcast, K-POP.
So thanks for being a part of it.
We'll see you in the next one.
Welcome back to Take Off, a podcast where we dive into the trends and technologies shaping
(00:05):
the future of aviation and automotive and the people that make it happen.
The views and opinions shared here are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily
reflect a Aurrigo International PLC.
The podcast is for informational purposes only.
Some forward-looking statements might come up, which are just projections and are subject
to change.
Now that that's out of the way, I'm Tenille Houston and today I'm joined by Miles Garner,
(00:28):
who is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Aurrigo.
Welcome, Miles.
Good morning, Tenille.
So glad to have you on here.
I know you've been with the company basically since the beginning for a long time.
Yeah, I have, yeah.
So 10 years is the second time around.
So I was here about 20 or 30 years ago, the first time, where we had an RDM as the business
(00:53):
and we had a telematics type of product called AutoText, which was a track-in type product
we used to sell into the OEMs or cars and we then ended up then actually selling that
to another company and I then actually went across with that company and I was there for
a while and then came back 10 years ago.
(01:15):
Wow, that's so interesting.
In the first episode, we touched on who is a Aurrigo, what were we doing in the automotive
space and how we came to aviation.
So that's, I never heard about the AutoText, so that's always great to kind of tie that
in.
And then today, we're excited because again, we just talked about who Aurrigo is as a company
and why we're in the aviation space.
(01:37):
So we figured on this episode, second one out the gate, we're going to talk about what's
happening in the aviation space when it comes to automation, right?
So what are we seeing out there?
What are some of the advancements?
And I figured there'd be nobody better to talk to it about than you because you're out
there, you're talking with customers every day, you're seeing what they're looking to
do with their innovation timelines and what they're already doing right now because there
(02:01):
is automation as we know, not just with our stuff but other items in airports today.
So I wanted to open up to see what have you been seeing out there?
What are some of the key things that people are trying and have you seen any trends really
with some of these airports and what they're starting with?
It's a really good question.
So automation in the aviation industry is quite interesting because aviation has had
(02:24):
all Tomliss aircraft now ever since the end of the 60s.
So this isn't sort of really, really new to them as an aircraft in the air for landing.
Automation on the ground though is really, really ever so new.
And if you think that the way cargo plus also for baggage is collected off of aircraft,
(02:46):
it hasn't really, really changed in sort of over 60 to 70 years.
It is a guy and a tug with a lot of dollars taken the baggage, collected it and it's a
really, really is a manual type of process.
So the industry are now sort of looking at ways of how do we improve that?
How do we make it ever so smart?
And the type of conversations that I'm having are with airlines, with airports, also the
(03:11):
ground handlers as well.
Yeah, that makes sense.
I mean, there's so much out there now.
I've been starting to see when we've been having these conversations, some other pieces
of equipment like autonomous mowers, for example, which I think that makes complete sense.
It seems like that would almost, I don't know, that might almost even be one of the easiest
use cases, right?
You're going, you're mowing a very particular area on the airfield at a very set time every
(03:34):
day or every, however often is needed.
So I've definitely been seeing, I feel like autonomous mowers, autonomous snow plows here
in Canada, we need that.
Even Changi, I know that they were working on some of the jet bridges that were automated.
So seeing those pain points and seeing how can automation start to close those gaps from
(03:56):
A to B, and then moving into, of course, moving that baggage that we're, of course, seeing
that big pain point.
And that's obviously why we got into the industry.
And I know that you were, of course, around when we decided, let's go ahead and test this
out when IAG approached us for our very first POC.
Can you tell us all a little bit about that?
Yeah, sure.
(04:16):
So we entered the aviation industry really on the back of a telephone call.
And it literally, it was a call, came in to the office, called the call who took the call
initially.
And we then had a conversation with their innovation team.
And they asked us, we've come across your company, we can see everything that you're
(04:38):
doing on the passenger side of the business.
So we see that you have an autonomous pod that can carry up to four people.
Could you take that tech?
And could you then, as you put it, into a traditional type of dolly?
And we said, as we always do here, of course we can.
(04:58):
And we had a couple of their normal type of dollars.
And we then took our technology out of the auto pod.
And we then put it into these traditional top dollars to literally, it was all the sensors.
We had to turn it into a vehicle as a first off because like a dolly is just a very, very
(05:20):
standard.
It's a lot of sort of crater wheels really.
It's interesting they brought the dolly first as opposed to, obviously we know some of our
competitors are putting sensors on baggage tractors.
So very intriguing that they brought a dolly and said, what can you do here?
Absolutely.
So that was their idea to put it on to like a dolly initially.
(05:40):
So that's what we done.
And we took that to Terminal 5 at Heathrow 2018 and we then actually ran that as a proof
of concept.
So it was all about can we do it?
So to the target was can we collect empty cans, ULDs on the body?
(06:02):
And we take that to the empty can error, collect one and it was literally can we do it?
We done it.
And that really was our sort of entry point into the aviation space.
Up until that point, we really honestly, we didn't know anything about aviation at all.
(06:22):
You know, as a business, we've kind of actually been around cars now for over 30 years.
We understand how to make a vehicle.
So aviation, yeah, really, really interesting for us.
That's how we started.
I always think, you know, when people mention the aviation and how we say, yeah, we got
into it early, you know, in 2018, 2019.
(06:45):
But it translated so well because the fact that we started with our shuttles in these,
you know, intense operational domains in public traffic with other vehicles, with people,
with everything you can think of as, you know, the interjector point.
Now that we can do that.
And we have this controlled chaos is kind of again, what I call it when it comes airside,
(07:05):
right?
There's so much happening, but everybody knows kind of what everyone else is doing.
There are rules of the road that are followed much, much better than there are within, you
know, the public domain.
So it's this almost dance between, you know, catering trucks and fuel trucks and people
and baggage, trucks and tractors and pushbacks and people walking out, you know, onto the
(07:26):
onto the jetway.
So it's interesting that we were able to take that knowledge and then push it into the space.
And we're just finding obviously so many airports and airlines that believe that this
is a problem that could be solved through automation.
Hence the reason we decided to turn and focus the business, of course, in that space.
Now, I will say, you know, when we're talking to customers, what are some of the things
that you're hearing as those key pain points?
(07:48):
Why do they see automation as the answer for baggage and cargo?
Yeah, I think there's a number of reasons.
I mean, on your earlier outline, which is absolutely true, there has to be a commercial
reason for anyone to actually purchase an autonomous vehicle.
And the problem is that you can test on roads and there's companies around the world that
(08:12):
have actually spent lots, lots of money on testing and they're paranoins that are actually
testing now.
There isn't currently that sort of customers wanting an autonomous vehicle to take them
from A to B. They're interested in the tech and they absolutely should actually love it.
There isn't that rural commercial reason.
Aviation, there is a commercial reason.
(08:35):
And the commercial reasons are turnaround of aircraft.
If you can cut down that turnaround, even by 10 minutes on a short haul, typically it's
about half an hour.
If you can actually cut that down to 20 minutes, well then over the whole of a 24-hour period,
you can obviously then actually feed in a lot more aircraft on a stand.
(08:56):
So that is extra money to the airlines, to the airports, to the GSEs and everyone else.
So there has to be a commercial application.
Also in the back of COVID as well, I think everyone's aware of those type of challenges
where the industry on aviation pretty much closed down over passenger.
(09:16):
Cargo or course, Caradon.
The whole of the world had to keep on ticking over.
So cargo, Caradon going.
Passenger, it just collapsed.
So quite a lot of the infrastructure and all the people, all of them left.
They went to work for like supermarkets where you could earn more than what you're earning.
(09:37):
And you're not outside in the cold or in the heat and 24 hours a day.
So they haven't returned.
So the industry actually needs to look at tech.
You can then actually help with that lack of the baker chandelers and the world's want
to do it as well.
So those were really the two key top of leverages.
(10:02):
Yeah, before us getting into aviation and in my prior life, I love traveling.
That's obviously my passion.
You know me very well.
But I've never looked out a window and thought to myself the working conditions of a bag
with Chandler.
You just don't, I guess it just doesn't click.
But yeah, I mean people are traveling in the winter during the holiday season and it's
(10:22):
just brutal.
Of course, we are working in Singapore where the rain is just coming down nonstop.
And you start to think of these guys and the heat, right?
You're out there on the tarmac again.
And it's just all of these things.
So I think it's such an important role that technology can help to supplement that.
(10:42):
And we're also starting to hear from leaders in the industry.
I've heard the team at Schipel talk a lot about what does it look like for moving baggage
and actual regulations of course that are coming out now that say you can only move
so much weight because again, it's just this intense.
Not only do you have the weather, but it's so much on your body as well.
So there's recommendations and regulations coming where people are only going to be able
(11:06):
to move so much weight.
So how do you then, what does that shift look like?
But if you have automation that can help support those workers, right?
I think that that's where everybody wins.
It becomes a better work environment.
Hopefully that starts to pull a new generation of workers back in that can work with this
technology.
It can keep things moving towards airports and airlines because now as we're seeing
(11:31):
post COVID travel is now like soaring, everybody's back in, they missed it.
So it's like the opposite where everything is just coming down on these airports and
airlines to end ground handlers to get things moving along.
So definitely automation could be the way forward.
Have you ever thought like obviously in this space, what is something that you would love
to see automated in life that would make your life easier that is not automated now?
(11:57):
Automated in life.
That's a good question.
I should have thought about that one before we had that call.
I spend to put people on the spot though.
I always say that the cleaning of the house, but of course, and people will be like, well,
you have broom buzz, you have those little vacuums, but it's not the full, it's not everything,
right?
I've got a kid.
Wouldn't that be cool if something could just run after them and clean up everything?
(12:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Actually, I'm in.
I'm in will be great.
There you go.
I have an iron and it's one of those chores that you do and all the time you're doing
it, you're thinking, I hate this.
Why don't I just hang up a shirt?
I'm actually hiding this one there because it doesn't bind all that well.
(12:41):
It is a terrible, terrible job that if that could have some automation, that would be
very good.
That makes sense.
Robots are coming, so hopefully that doesn't pull that far away.
Sometimes it's the little things that just would make everybody's life so much easier.
Same thing, my coffee is brewed.
Obviously, there's a program, but I would love it just like when I wake up, that fresh
(13:01):
cup is just sitting there perfectly made for me and ready to go.
It's the little things in life.
Maybe that'll be our subtext later as we attack the aviation industry, then we look for some
kind of new thing.
We'll start to do the little minute details that work out.
I appreciate you chatting with me about this.
We're seeing a lot of airports and airlines interested in automation, a lot of calls going
(13:24):
out.
We're mostly in our Ottawa office, a lot of bids and discussions surrounding automation
within North America, within Europe.
Really, I don't know of anywhere that's not looking into this space right now, putting
out bids or RFIs, requests for information to learn more about what could be done.
(13:46):
I think hosting people, showcasing this innovation, talking about it is what's really going to
help connect all the dots and hopefully we can bring this into a new age.
Yeah, absolutely.
The sort of conversations that we have are with airports, airlines, the ground handlers,
(14:06):
companies that are looking at a brand new airport.
How do we actually make an airport off a day one that could accommodate all autonomous
vehicles because it's a lot easier if you plan that as a day one as opposed to integrating.
To the top of conversations we have are really, really, very varied and it's really, really
(14:29):
exciting to talk to all those lots of different top sectors as well in this space.
It's a really good section.
Yeah, it'll be fun.
So follow us for more, of course.
We appreciate everybody for tuning in and listening.
We're going to learn more about various types of automation in the aviation industry, the
automotive industry, and other tech that drives the world forward as we move through
(14:51):
our awesome new podcast, K-POP.
So thanks for being a part of it.
We'll see you in the next one.
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Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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