Airtrek Robotics

Overview

Problem: Preventable mishaps from poor wingwalking and incomplete FOD walks causes millions in repair cost and impact defense fleet readiness.

Solution: Airtrek's autonomous robot automate wingwalking and FOD walks, mitigating aircraft damage and freeing up service members for mission-critical tasks.

Field Validation: Tested in a civilian airport and hangar space; Not in a defense setting.

Technology Maturity (TRL): TRL 7 in the non-defense setting, tested in Lunken Airport (LUK) under heavy rain.

Strategic Advantage: IP protection through a pending patent and a provisional application.

Go-to-Market Access: Existing connections with Air Force CMSgt., Lt. Col, AFLCMC/ROD, and InfiniteTactics that provides ATO'd secure cloud platform for multiple customers in the Air Force and Navy.

Dual-Use Potential: Aircraft ground operators in the non-defense market (e.g., FBO, airlines) face same challenges with manual wingwalking and FOD management, with estimated cost of $20 billion each year.

Team: Three co-founders specialize in autonomous systems and robotics with a track record of developing 10+ autonomous vehicles. Most notably, they successfully developed and deployed an autonomous airport baggage tractor at several US airports in their previous startup where they worked together.

Competitive Landscape: A lidar-integrated towing machine (TowFlexx), autonomous platforms for FOD removal (Essential Aero, Coast Autonomous); Airtrek's multi-functional robot maximizes the dollar value and reduces operational complexity

Primary User: Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons (AMXS)

User-Critical Problem: Repetitive and time-consuming; Small mistake can cause significant damage.