Defense & Mission Readiness
Advancing Aircraft Towing at Holloman AFB
Evitado’s LiDAR-enabled collision detection and avoidance technology was demonstrated during MQ-9 Reaper towing operations at Holloman Air Force Base, adding real-time environmental awareness and an additional safety layer around the aircraft.
- 49th Maintenance GroupOperational partner
- Phase II SBIRInnovation program
- MQ-9 ReaperField demonstration
- Evitado LiDARCollision avoidance
A joint innovation effort
A smarter safety layer for critical ground movements.
Through a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research collaboration, the 49th Maintenance Group evaluated Evitado’s collision detection and avoidance technology as part of a new approach to safer aircraft ground movement.
During the demonstration at Holloman Air Force Base, an MQ-9 Reaper was moved using an electric, remote-controlled tug equipped with Evitado’s LiDAR-enabled collision detection and avoidance technology.
The objective is direct: give operators greater situational awareness, reduce risk around valuable aircraft and enable faster, more efficient towing with fewer personnel.
Tested in the field
Built for complex operational environments.
Evitado’s technology stack continuously monitors the towing environment, detects relevant obstacles and can trigger automatic deceleration and stopping. This creates an additional digital safety layer around aircraft, ground personnel and infrastructure - particularly where visibility is limited and clearances are tight.
The field test demonstrated how Evitado’s LiDAR-based perception layer can support precise aircraft movement in hangars, on ramps and in other constrained environments, where blind spots, changing distances and limited clearances create additional risk.
Operational impact
Technology designed around the mission.
Evitado adds real-time environmental awareness, collision protection and operator-focused automation to the realities of military aircraft ground operations.
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Enhanced collision protection
LiDAR-based environmental monitoring helps identify personnel, objects and infrastructure around the aircraft and supports automatic intervention.
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Leaner tow operations
The system is designed to reduce the number of people required for a tow, helping qualified personnel focus on other mission-critical tasks.
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Precision in confined spaces
Remote control, compact maneuvering and full rotation in place support controlled aircraft movement where every centimeter matters.
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Autonomy-ready safety layer
The perception and intervention stack provides a foundation for increasingly automated aircraft ground movement while keeping the operator in control.
Mission readiness starts on the ground
Safer towing. Leaner operations. Greater mission readiness.
Aircraft towing is a critical ground operation with direct consequences for aircraft availability and mission readiness. By improving situational awareness and reducing the personnel required for a tow, the system supports safer and more efficient aircraft movement across hangars, ramps and flight lines.
Evitado’s LiDAR-enabled collision detection and avoidance layer adds real-time environmental awareness to the towing process. Integrated with existing towing platforms, it strengthens day-to-day operations and provides a foundation for more autonomous ground handling capabilities in the future.