UVU engineering students pioneer fuel-saving tech for aircraft taxiing
Jun 3, 2025, 1:00 PM | Updated: Jun 4, 2025, 10:22 am
OGDEN — Utah Valley University students are transforming aircraft taxiing with a new invention that allows planes to reach the runway without using their engines.
A team of UVU engineering students won first place at a national competition for their invention, the Autonomous Electric Airplane Tug, or “E-tug,” which reduces costs, emissions, and safety risks during aircraft taxiing.
Mechanical engineering assistant professor Brett Stone said the team is excited to see it in action. The team successfully tested the tug at the Provo Airport.
“It was a scale model … so, they weren’t pulling around 737s,” Stone said. “They were just pulling around Cessna-sized aircraft, but they were able to show, ‘Hey, this could work.'”
The autonomous tug can move airplanes to the runway without a driver or requiring the aircraft’s engine to be turned on. Stone said the innovative tech could save airlines millions of dollars in fuel and maintenance costs.
Aircraft taxiing issues
Stone said a big benefit of the invention is reducing emissions.
“They’re (plane engines) not regulated the same way like a car engine is,” Stone said. We’ve got five elementary schools within a mile of Salt Lake City International Airport.”
In addition to reducing carbon emissions, the tug is designed to improve working conditions for tarmac staff.
” … Those jet engines are meant to fly at 30,000 feet,” said Stone. “They’re not optimized for ground travel, and they’re very noisy … So, if you look out at any of the tarmac workers that are all wearing all sorts of PPE or ear protection, eye protection, all that kind of stuff because it’s so noisy.”
Additionally, Stone says when an engine is running there is the risk of ingestion, or something getting sucked into the engine.
“So if someone leaves their lunchbox out (and) that gets sucked into the jet engine — each of those blades cost $30,000,” he said. “So, if you damage a blade and then it shoots out the back and hits someone or damages something else, that’s obviously really bad. There have even been incidents, although they’re rare, (but) they do happen where people get sucked into the jet engines.”
The team is now applying for utility patents as they work to bring the project to market.
