Autonomous vehicle for airports

An autonomous vehicle for operation in an airport, the autonomous vehicle comprising:

• a frame;
• a platform coupled to the frame and configured to support a load;
• an obstacle sensor positioned relative to the frame and configured to detect obstacles about the frame, wherein the obstacle sensor is configured to detect obstacles on a ground in a vicinity of the autonomous vehicle and overhanging obstacles that are above the ground in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle;
• and
• an electronic processor coupled to the obstacle sensor and configured to
• perform at least three different obstacle detection methods to detect obstacles based on sensor data captured by the obstacle sensor, wherein a difference between the at least three different obstacle detection methods includes (i) processing sensor data from different types of obstacle sensors, (ii) processing the same sensor data from the obstacle sensor in different manners, or (iii) both (i) and (ii),
• operate the autonomous vehicle based on the obstacles detected by the obstacle sensor,
• receive a global path plan of the airport;
• receive task information for a task to be performed by the autonomous vehicle;
• determine a task path plan based on the task information;
• execute the task path plan by navigating the autonomous vehicle;
• receive three-dimensional point cloud information generated by a three-dimensional long-range sensor;
• receive a three-dimensional image based on images captured by one or more of a plurality of obstacle depth sensors;
• generate a fused point cloud based on sensor data received from the three-dimensional long-range sensor and the one or more of the plurality of obstacle depth sensors by matching voxels from the three-dimensional point cloud information with corresponding voxels from the three-dimensional image;
• detect an object based on the fused point cloud;
• process obstacle information associated with the object relative to a current position of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the obstacle information includes a shape and a location of the object;
• determine whether the object is in a planned path of the autonomous vehicle;
• in response to determining that the object is in the planned path, alter the planned path to avoid the object;
• and
• in response to determining that the object is in a vicinity of the autonomous vehicle but not in the planned path, continue executing the planned path.