Autonomous carrier for continuously moving wing assembly line

A carrier for aircraft structures comprising:

• a platform having a first side and a second side;
• a movement system having a plurality of wheels associated with the first side and configured to move the platform on a surface;
• a plurality of support members associated with the second side and configured to hold the aircraft structure on the platform;
• a laser alignment system;
• an actuator system associated with the plurality of wheels and configured to adjust a distance between each wheel in the plurality of wheels and the first side of the platform;
• and
• a controller coupled to the laser alignment system and the actuator system, wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator system to substantially maintain the structure in a desired orientation.

A method for moving a structure, the method comprising:

• supporting the structure on a carrier comprising a platform having a first side and a second side;
• a movement system associated with the first side and configured to move the platform on a surface;
• a support system associated with the second side of the platform and configured to support the structure on the platform;
• and a leveling system configured to substantially maintain the structure in a desired orientation during movement of the platform on the surface;
• moving the carrier with the structure over the surface;
• and
• adjusting at least one of the movement system and the support system to substantially maintain the structure in the desired orientation while moving the carrier.