SATS, TUMCREATE team up to create AI-powered robotic air cargo system 

Today, Singapore-based ground handler SATS and Singaporean research platform TUMCREATE jointly announced that they are working together to explore commercialization opportunities for their artificial intelligence (AI) powered robotic air cargo system, SPEEDCARGO. SPEEDCARGO will help digitalize air cargo handling by taking over laborious processes, the companies said.  

SPEEDCARGO is a system comprised of three of the companies’ products – CARGO EYE, CARGO MIND and CARGO ARM. CARGO EYE produces a digital fingerprint for incoming cargo by dimensioning accepted cargo in real-time using a 3D camera system. The companies are currently working to enhance CARGO MIND and CARGO ARM, which work to optimize cargo palletization through intelligent Unit Load Device (ULD) planning and automatic ULD packing, respectively, with the aim of commercializing each product in phases. 

The timeline for the completed project has not been released, but the integrated SPEEDCARGO system will be run on an AI-powered operating system enabling them to connect data for end-to-end optimization of cargo operations. Ultimately, companies will be able to input volume, weight and other criteria into the SPEEDCARGO system to optimize their cargo hold, SATS and TUMCREATE said. 

The collaboration was facilitated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which awarded TUMCREATE S$1.9 million in its 2015 Aviation Challenge for SPEEDCARGO’s prototype development over two years. The project also received S$4 million in funding from the National Research Foundation Singapore’s (NRF’s) Central Gap Fund, which supports public research performers in the translation of research outcomes into useful products, processes, and services that generate economic and societal benefits. 

“Piloting this technology in Singapore is part of our wider innovation program to enhance services and scale our operational efficiency” said SATS President and CEO Alex Hungate. “These capabilities would enhance our cargo network across Asia Pacific, along with COSYS+, our cloud-based cargo terminal management system, to augment real-time cargo visibility along our digital corridors,” he added.