Air and travel services provider dnata has deployed six autonomous electric tractors at Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC), marking a shift in ramp operations technology.
The company now operates EZTow model vehicles developed by TractEasy at DWC. The autonomous tractors transport baggage between the terminal and aircraft, replacing human drivers who previously operated under time constraints.
dnata rolls out autonomous baggage tractors
The vehicles tow up to four baggage containers (ULDs) at a time at speeds of up to 15 km/h, following pre-defined routes. Staff who previously drove baggage tractors can be reassigned to tasks as the vehicles become integrated into operations, supporting turnarounds.
“While autonomous vehicles have largely been limited to trials, this deployment brings the technology into regular, day-to-day operations. As global travel continues to rebound and operational demands increase, automation could be key to building smarter, safer and more resilient infrastructure,” Jaffar Dawood, Divisional Senior Vice President for UAE Airport Operations at data said.
The autonomous driving system reduces the risk of human error, making airside operations safer for personnel on the ramp.
The AED 6 million ($1.6 million) project deployment begins with Level 3 autonomy, which involves human oversight.
This will upgrade to Level 4 autonomy, defined by self-driving capabilities in controlled environments, in early 2026.
The rollout follows over a year of collaboration between dnata, TractEasy, Dubai Airports and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
The parties have been working together to create a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle operations in airside environments, which remain undefined at a global level.
Beyond its role, dnata will use this deployment as a testbed to trial and refine operating models for autonomous ground handling.
The aim is to identify the approach for rollout, as DWC expands into what is set to become the world’s airport, with capacity for up to 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo annually.
“Autonomous GSE adoption is taking off 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,” Rich Reno, TractEasy’s CEO added.
