Self-driving snowplow coming to Winnipeg airport this winter

A new pilot project is taking off at the airport.

The Winnipeg Airports Authority announced a self-driving snowplow will be tested at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport this winter, the first of its kind in North America.

The plow is expected to be ready for testing in early 2019 and once it’s operational, it will be used in quieter areas of the airport away from the busy runways at first.

The robotic plow was created in partnership with two Manitoba companies — Airport Technologies Inc., the business that manufactures snow removal equipment for airports, and Northstar Robotics Inc., a technology company.

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“We have seen autonomous technology tested and adopted in any number of sectors,” said Shawn Schaerer, president and founder of Northstar Robotics.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We have seen autonomous technology tested and adopted in any number of sectors," said Shawn Schaerer, president and founder of Northstar Robotics.

“We are excited to work with Winnipeg Airports Authority and Airport Technologies to be the first in North America to apply this technology to airport snow clearing.”

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