CROWN AT
Duration
Intern Project
Dates
Summer 2026
CROWN AT is an autonomous aircraft tug bringing CROWN’s handling expertise to airports for safe, efficient, scalable ground operations.
*Student project sponsored by Crown*
01
Understanding CROWN
Design Language
Power of the Line
As design continues to evolve, the deliberate use of the line endures as a critical instrument for shaping composition-imparting a refined, dynamic premium quality while ensuring visual coherence across the whole truck.
Perceptions of Proportions
CROWN trucks should convey stability, durability, and precise balance for their intended applications. Functional elements ought to be elegantly restrained, yielding a refined, purposeful aesthetic rooted in simplicity.
Functional Excellence
CROWN streamlines airport operations by uniting fleet orchestration, predictive maintenance, and real-time logistics-cutting dwell time, boosting throughput, and optimizing passenger flow for a resilient, scalable travel system.
Streamline the sky: Airports reborn in motion
Color
Each hue applied to CROWN lift trucks is purposefully selected to articulate and reinforce the brand’s core values.
Mechanisms of Meaning
Graphics are refined vessels designed to carry meaning - not ends in themselves. At CROWN, these visual systems are deliberately crafted to reinforce brand visibility, ensure product-line continuity, and serve as clear visual guides.
From Dock to Departure
CROWN evolves from warehouse material-handling specialists to airport tug truck designs by applying its heritage in load dynamics, ergonomic controls, and rugged drivetrains to airfield needs. Keeping core values, it adapts to aviation’s high payloads and long duty cycles.
Objective
Crown design reimagines airport automation to deliver seamless performance and unwavering reliability, prioritizing efficiency while protecting and assisting vulnerable users.
02
Strategy Planning
What are airport tugs?
Pushback Operations: Move aircraft from the gate before engine start
Aircraft Repositioning: Move aircraft between gates, hangars, maintenance areas, and remote parking stands
Maintenance Towing: Transport Aircraft for inspections, repairs, and storage
Precise Maneuvering: Position aircraft accurately in tight ramp and hangar spaces
?
Benchmarking
User Concerns
Setup Difficulty
Conventional systems require manual towbar attachment and multiple personnel coordination. In ideal conditions, ground crews can take up to 30 min.
Incident Reports
Nearly 27,000 ramp accidents occur every year. Roughly 87% are related to aircraft towing operations
Operator Experience
Given current market options, operators face poor visibility and limited maneuverability. Alternatively, they can be exposed to harsh weather conditions.
COMBINE THE UTILITY OF AN AIRPORT TRUCK WITH THE SYSTEM AND SETUP EASE OF A CROWN AGV.
Design Opportunity
03
Design Exploration
Final Sketch Render
04
Final Concept
Leveraging Crown's philosophy of integrated automation and human-machine flexibility, this autonomous airplane tug concept automates repetitive aircraft towing operations while preserving manual intervention capabilities for complex ground-handling scenarios.
CROWN System Operation’s:
Introducing
CROWN AT 3000
The front face adopts Crown’s iconic forward-facing guard, or “chest plate,” honoring the strength and heritage of the company’s lift trucks. A band of Medium Gray separates the Beige, adding visual rhythm and reducing visual mass. Control Orange is applied to highlight moving components and draw the eye to functional details.
CROWN’s Iconic Design Language
With precise load management and alignment, the tug matches the performance of any full‑size aircraft tug while occupying only a fraction of the footprint. Delivering all the mobility advantages without sacrificing any of the strength.
Lift Technology
As the tug operates autonomously, clear external visual cues are essential for tarmac safety and coordination. A screen displaying the current route lets ground workers quickly see the tug’s intent, anticipate movements, and interact confidently.
Real-Time Task Display
CROWN provides paint-to-sample services for several major retailers, including Amazon and Walmart. A carefully chosen CMF palette enables airlines to faithfully reproduce and reinforce their most iconic colorways across fleets. Above are several major brands with suggested paint options designed to complement and unify existing liveries.
Colorways
Product Specifications:
LOA (Overall Length) - 10 Ft.
LWL (Overall Width) - 9 ½ Ft.
OAH (Overall Height) - 2 ½ Ft.
Unladen Weight - 12,000 Lbs.
