Autonomous FOD Collection System

Foreign Object Debris (FOD) accounts for $90M in aircraft damage each year for the US Military, not to mention the potential to take aviatorsĺ lives in catastrophic events ľ one FOD incident with an F-22 at Hill AFB cost $756K. To mitigate the instances of FOD, hundreds of flightline personnel line up to perform daily FOD walks, picking up and discarding potentially dangerous debris; and at night 2-3 crew members drive a truck that drags a FOD mat (approximately 6ĺ x 5ĺ) for one hour. The crew must maintain a speed of < 5 mph because driving any faster reduces the efficiency of the FOD mat, leaving behind hazardous debris. Finding an alternative to the FOD Walk requires an innovative solution. Running a truck sized $500k sweeper on the ramp near $100M aircraft is not practical. Essential Aeroĺs FOD Runner system automates the collection of FOD using a robot that pulls a drag-mat. This system can clear 150 acres of ramp, taxiway, runway in a single night. This innovation has the potential to significantly reduce FOD on the flightline and the cost of FOD control