At Passenger Terminal Expo (PTE) World 2026, companies showcased solutions spanning a broad range of airport applications.
From baggage technology to drone detection to AI-driven ramp automation, there was no shortage of innovation designed to enhance the smooth operation of modern airports.
The event, which took place from 17-19 March, welcomed over 400 exhibitors alongside more than 11,000 senior stakeholders in the aviation sector.
Airside spoke to two companies striving to modernise vehicle training – a vital process before operating GSE on a busy ramp, where improper use of equipment could result in damage to baggage and aircraft, or even serious injury.
UFA Inc
UFA is a producer of advanced training technology. Founded in 1979, with headquarters in Massachusetts, US, the company is best known for its air traffic control and radar simulators which are used by the world’s leading air navigation service providers.
Five years ago, it moved into the GSE space with the launch of its ATVehicle™ simulator, designed to support the learning of airside drivers.
The platform offers training on almost every type of equipment found on the apron, featuring pushback tractors alongside ARFF and catering vehicles. These are available on a touch panel, allowing all vehicles to be covered on one simulator.
Moreover, the system integrates applications for instructors, allowing them to monitor the person being trained and conduct a briefing on the map, as well as interact with aircraft and add airside hazards such as fire and FOD.
The simulator also includes voice recognition systems, with options for adding background chatter or enabling the driver to contact a virtual air traffic controller and receive a response.
UFA uses 3D artists to replicate each airport which uses its simulators. The technology is currently operational at airports worldwide, including Munich, Cologne, Boston, Omaha, Denver and Melbourne.
Aveo Airside Simulation
Aveo Airside Simulation is an Icelandic technology developer aiming to make airside operations smarter, safer and more efficient. The company’s Orion Driver simulator was developed in 2019 to allow GSE operators to train using a digital twin of their own airport.
At PTE World, the company showcased an airside simulator that allowed participants to operate a virtual vehicle at Sydney Airport. Participants were tasked with navigating the airside while maintaining awareness of moving aircraft, GSE and anti-collision beacons.
The simulation can be customised to include speed limits, different traffic scenarios and times of day, and challenging weather and winter conditions, with the goal of decreasing the number of airside incidents and runway incursions.
Orion Driver features a variety of vehicles, such as a passenger bus, a snow plough, and an operational SUV. However, the system is not designed to teach users how to drive a particular vehicle, but to build understanding of the rules and processes of an airport.
The company is affiliated with Tern Systems, an air traffic management software developer with almost 30 years of experience in the aviation sector.
Reducing incident rates
Birgir Mar Thorgeirsson, co-founder of Aveo Airside Simulation, said: “Training drivers on a live airfield is inherently disruptive — you’re competing with real traffic, the environment is stressful, and there’s no room for a proper learning dialogue.
“Simulation gives airside drivers the same type of training that pilots and air traffic controllers have had for decades. The difference is that the technology has only recently become cost-effective enough to deploy at scale.”
Sydney Airport is currently operating seven simulator workstations in a dedicated driving centre. “At Sydney Airport, we tracked around 350 drivers and saw incident rates for first-time drivers drop from 26 percent to 1 percent within the first three months,” said Thorgeirsson.
“Those numbers are striking, and while we’re careful not to overstate causation, they strongly suggest that accessible, repeatable simulation training has a direct impact on airside safety.”
