Tallinn, Estonia, 7 October 2026 – Auve Tech demonstratedits MiCa shuttle operating at Tallinn Airport without an onboard safetyoperator, a major milestone in the commercialization of autonomous mobility.Held in cooperation with Magnetic MRO, the demonstration showed safe andefficient autonomous transport under remote supervision in a live airportenvironment.

MiCa is an eight-passenger electric autonomous shuttle developed andmanufactured in Estonia for the transport of people and goods in airports,industrial sites and urban environments. The Level 4 autonomous vehicle usescameras and LiDAR sensors to perceive its surroundings and can be monitored andsupported through a remote operations center.

Auve Tech received authorization in August 2026 to remove the onboardsafety operator from its passenger service at Tallinn Airport. Following thisapproval, it became the first European company to operate autonomous passengertransport at an airport without an onboard safety operator. Government,aviation, industry and media representatives experienced a service that is nota closed-course pilot: it supports Magnetic MRO’s daily transport of employeesand equipment.

“The real breakthrough forautonomous vehicles will occur when the technology can operate daily inreal-world environments without a human on board. We have reached preciselythis stage at Tallinn Airport. A single remote operator can monitor multiple vehicles,and this is a key step toward making autonomous transport economicallycompetitive and scalable.” said Kaarel Variksaar, CEO of Auve Tech.

Magnetic MRO: a real-world use case

The cooperation between Auve Tech and Magnetic MRO began in 2023 withtesting inside the airport area and moved into commercial operations in 2025after continuous development, validation and experience in complex conditions.Today, MiCa shuttles connect Magnetic MRO facilities on the airside coverapproximately 1,000 kilometers per week with an average autonomy rate of 99.9%.

Remote supervision enables one supervisor to oversee several vehicles andintervene only when needed, rather than assigning one driver to every vehicle.This improves fleet utilization, reduces operating costs and allows the serviceto scale without staffing increasing at the same rate, while maintaining safeand efficient operations.

At Magnetic MRO, the autonomous shuttles connect hangars across theairport area, transporting employees and equipment between facilities. Theservice has become part of everyday MRO operations, reducing reliance onconventional transport and demonstrating how autonomous mobility can beintegrated into a highly regulated aviation environment.

“For us, this is not abouttesting technology anymore. The autonomous vehicles are already part of ourdaily operations, supporting the continuous movement of people and suppliesbetween our hangars. They help us manage the last mile of our internal logisticsmore efficiently, while allowing our people to focus on the work where theirexpertise is really needed. Removing the onboard safety operator is animportant next step in making the solution even more efficient and scalable,”said Risto Mäeots, CEO of Magnetic Group

Autonomous transport on airport grounds

As airports work to improve efficiency and address workforce challenges,autonomous shuttles offer an effective way to move passengers, employees andequipment. They can support staff transport and logistics services, as well asfuture passenger mobility solutions.

“Tallinn Airport has always placed greatimportance on innovation and on creating an environment where new technologiescan be tested and developed in real-life conditions. Auve Tech began testingautonomous vehicles at Tallinn Airport in 2023, and the airport environment,with its strict safety requirements, rules and procedures, provides anexcellent setting for gaining the experience and knowledge needed to introduceautonomous mobility more widely in the future.

We are particularlypleased that Tallinn Airport has now become the first airport in Europe wherean autonomous vehicle has been authorised to operate without an onboard safetyoperator. This is an important step towards more efficient, sustainable and innovativeairport operations.” said Riivo Tuvike, Chairman of the Management Board ofTallinn Airport.

Tallinn Airport has provided Auve Tech with a unique real-worldenvironment for the development and deployment of autonomous mobilitysolutions. The airport’s openness to innovation has enabled the project toprogress from testing to regular commercial operations.

Looking ahead

The demonstration is both a technological and operational milestone. Withseveral years of experience and deployments worldwide, Auve Tech continues todevelop reliable, safe and scalable autonomous mobility for airports,industrial campuses, logistics hubs and other controlled environments seekinggreater efficiency, resilience and sustainability.

Today’s milestone demonstrates not only the maturity of the technology,but also the viability of autonomous transport as a commercially operatingservice.

About Magnetic Group

Magnetic  Group connects different areas of aviation – from aircraft and engine leasing  to aircraft maintenance, spare parts supply and aviation training. With a  global reach and four business sectors, Magnetic Group provides expertise and  flexible solutions to airlines, MROs and asset owners worldwide.

Magnetic MRO is a sub-brand of Magnetic Group, providing  aircraft maintenance services with a focus on base maintenance, line  maintenance and aircraft painting.