SAN JOSE, Calif.- Velodyne Lidar, Inc. today announced a three-year agreement with TLD, a global leader in ground support equipment. TLD uses Velodyne lidar sensors in production of its TractEasy® autonomous electric baggage tractor that enables a significant increase in productivity, efficiency and labor savings in airport and industrial operations.
TLD will grow its groundbreaking TractEasy tractor fleet with Velodyne’s state-of-the-art sensors for safe and efficient navigation on roadways in a variety of weather conditions. TractEasy is a zero-emission tow tractor that transfers baggage and freight from airport terminals to aircraft areas, on service roads, with a driverless approach. It can also handle ground transportation of goods at industrial sites and logistics centers – both indoor and outdoor. TractEasy can drive up to 25 km/h and has a maximum traction capacity of 25 tons.
“Velodyne’s high performing sensors help TractEasy navigate and maneuver in complex and live ramp environments to move cargo in a safe, reliable way and does not require any infrastructure change,” said Nicolas Verin, CEO TLD-Europe. “Velodyne’s lidar solutions power our tractors to increase productivity and reduce operational costs in airport baggage handling.”
“TractEasy is a market-leading driverless, electric tow tractor that significantly increases operational flexibility and efficiency for ground transportation of goods,” said Erich Smidt, Executive Director Europe, Velodyne Lidar. “These tractors demonstrate how Velodyne lidar sensors provide the range and field of view needed to gain visibility on what’s ahead on dynamic roadways, and detect and avoid potential obstacles for safe logistics operations.”
Velodyne’s surround-view lidar solutions produce data-rich images with the ability to detect low reflectivity objects. These sensors are optimized for outstanding indoor/outdoor performance, operating in a variety of light conditions. By combining high-resolution 3D perception with a broad vertical field of view, Velodyne’s lidar sensors enable accurate detection of crosswalks, curbs and obstacles in roadway settings.
About Velodyne Lidar
Velodyne provides smart, powerful lidar solutions for autonomy and driver assistance. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Velodyne is known worldwide for its portfolio of breakthrough lidar sensor technologies. Velodyne’s founder, David Hall, invented real-time surround view lidar systems in 2005 as part of Velodyne Acoustics. Mr. Hall’s invention revolutionized perception and autonomy for automotive, new mobility, mapping, robotics, and security. Velodyne’s high-performance product line includes a broad range of sensing solutions, including the cost-effective Puck™, the versatile Ultra Puck™, the autonomy-advancing Alpha Prime™, the ADAS-optimized Velarray™, and the groundbreaking software for driver assistance, Vella™.
About TLD
With 60 years in the industry, TLD (www.tld-group.com) is a leading industrial group dedicated to the design, assembly, distribution and after-sales support of aviation Ground Support Equipment (GSE) globally. TLD products are in operation at most airports around the world. Well-designed and adapted to the requirements of our customers, the equipment is consistently maintained to the highest standards by TLD’s large engineering teams and assembled in the Group’s nine factories located in America, Asia and Europe. The company’s mission is to provide diligent, efficient and thorough after-sales support to customers, wherever they are based.
