A new industry body has been set up to showcase, support and accelerate investment in Britain’s automated aviation sector.
The Airside Automation Group, revealed at the Cenex Expo 2025 in Bedfordshire yesterday, is the brainchild of the likes of Zenzic, International Airlines Group (IAG), Heathrow Airport, Aer Lingus and Fusion Processing.
The group has multiple goals. Predominantly, it’ll work to bring the British civil aviation industry and the CAM sector more closely together in a formal setting.
It hopes that, by doing so, businesses at the forefront of this industry can showcase the benefits of their innovations to stakeholders from the civil aviation industry and ultimately secure investment.
In addition to discussing the opportunities of this sector, the group will also consider risks that could impede growth and work together to solve them – such as taking steps to improve the resilience of supply chains.
Many of the body’s founding members have significant experience in the CAM industry. For instance, Bristol-based Fusion Processing develops automated driving systems that could soon appear on airport buses through a Construct Invest partnership.
Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport – another Airside Automation Group founding member – is currently trialing technology from University of Oxford spinout Oxa aimed at making airport logistics more efficient through autonomous vehicles.
Coventry-headquartered Aurrigo, whose non-executive director Andrew Cornish will chair the Airside Automation Group, has helped Singapore’s Changi Airport accelerate logistics through the use of automated baggage handling vehicles. It also undertook a successful trial at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam recently.
“The group provides a vital platform for industry and innovators to come together, share learning, and accelerate the development of the next generation of connected and automated solutions,” said Cornish.
“By working collectively, we can ensure the UK remains at the forefront of this global transformation, delivering world-class technology, stronger supply chains, and long-term economic growth.”
Register for Free
Bookmark your favorite posts, get daily updates, and enjoy an ad-reduced experience.
Already have an account? Log in
