Aircraft disasters have generated troubling headlines this year, from the deadly Bangladesh air force crash to the tragic Potomac River mid-air collision. But in addition to disasters in the sky, planes have experienced serious incidents on the ground that have caused major delays, cost billions of dollars, and tragically taken lives.
The Flight Safety Foundation estimates around 27,000 ground accidents and incidents occur worldwide every year, amounting to about one per 1,000 departures and resulting in around $10 billion in costs each year for airlines. Just this year, an American Airlines ramp worker was fatally injured after an incident with a ground vehicle at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina.
To help prevent ground collisions and increase safety on the runway, TechNexus Venture Collaborative-backed Evitado Technologies raised more than $3 million in an oversubscribed funding round to bring its anti-collision solution to more airports. The round was led by Morado Ventures and Elev8.vc. Other backers include IAGi Ventures, the venture arm of International Airlines Group (IAG) and parent company of British Airways, a current user of Evitado's technologies.
Evitado, founded in 2019, develops and employs innovative automation systems to bring more efficient performance and new safety standards to airport ground operations. Its flagship ELVIZ platform utilizes real-time 3D LiDAR perception to enable advanced situational awareness and facilitate airport ground automation.
The startup, led by co-founders Alex Kasinec and Andrew Moakes, uses LiDAR to monitor the entire aircraft to ensure crews can safely maneuver the aircraft into the hangar while avoiding collision risks.
Evitado’s technology is effectively replicating the job of an airport wingwalker, CEO Alex Kasinec said, reducing the number of staff it takes to navigate a plane on the runway. It also plans to use its technology to automate tasks on the airfield for the first time.
“We see it as a greenfield opportunity to bring automation to the airport like you have with factories and other industries,” Kasinec said.
In addition to increasing its presence in airports across the world, Evitado is also working with the United States Air Force, using its technology to revolutionize aircraft towing operations at Holloman Air Force base in New Mexico.
Image credit/caption: Members of Holloman, TowFLEXX Miltech and Evitado conduct an MQ-9 Reaper towing demonstration at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, Feb. 27, 2025. The 49th Maintenance Group is enhancing mission readiness by partnering with Evitado Technologies and TowFLEXX Miltech to develop a cutting-edge anti-collision solution for aircraft towing, integrating sustainable, emissions-free technologies that align with the Department of Defense’s Green Procurement Program and improve operational safety. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isaiah Pedrazzini)