ABM launches robot pilot at LaGuardia Terminal B
ABM (NYSE: ABM) and LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) have launched a robotics pilot program at LaGuardia Airport's Terminal B in New York, deploying three autonomous robotic platforms to support facility operations.
The pilot includes a four-legged robotic "dog" developed in partnership with Skild.ai, which ABM describes as one of the first such robots deployed in a U.S. airport terminal. The robot is used for facility inspection. Two additional platforms — autonomous floor scrubbers and autonomous vacuums — are deployed in partnership with CenoBots and use 3D LiDAR navigation for cleaning high-traffic areas. The scrubbers can operate autonomously for up to six hours and self-recharge.
According to a press release, the program builds on ABM's existing facilities management relationship with LGP, which operates Terminal B under a public-private partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The $5.1 billion Terminal B project was completed in 2022.
"Airports are among the most dynamic environments in the world, and Terminal B is the perfect stage to demonstrate how robotics, AI, and data integration can transform facility operations," said Sean Bromfield, President of Aviation at ABM.
Suzette Noble, Chief Executive Officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said the pilot reflects the terminal's focus on testing emerging technologies.
Terminal B received a 5-star customer experience rating from Skytrax in 2023, which it claims is the first such rating awarded to an airport terminal in North America. Airlines operating at Terminal B include American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Air Canada, Frontier Airlines, and Porter Airlines.
ABM reported over $8 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 100,000 people globally across sectors including aviation, commercial real estate, and manufacturing.
