New simulators and autonomous vehicles aim to strengthen cargo safety, efficiency, and workforce readiness.
SATS is introducing both immersive training and automated transport at Changi Airport, combining workforce development with technology designed to handle increasingly complex cargo operations.
SATS Opens Immersive Training Centre
SATS launched its Immersive Centre at the SATS Airfreight Terminal on October 15, providing cargo handlers with a risk-free environment to practice operational scenarios before working with live equipment. Developed with Singapore Polytechnic and supported by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the facility uses four training systems replicating a transporter, joint pallet container loader, forklift, and tractor.
Simulators Recreate Workplace Hazards
The transporter and joint pallet container loader use virtual reality, while the forklift and tractor simulators include hardware designed to resemble actual equipment. Training scenarios can recreate different weather conditions and hazards such as falling cargo pallets and oil slicks, allowing employees to practice their responses safely. New workers will use the systems during training, while experienced staff will use them for refresher sessions.
Autonomous Vehicles Enter Live Testing
Separately, SATS is testing autonomous cargo vehicles, or ACVs, at Changi Airport to transport freight between SATS airfreight terminals and freight forwarders’ warehouses inside the Changi Airfreight Centre Free Trade Zone. The vehicles are being validated under live operating conditions as SATS works toward broader deployment.
Cargo Vehicles Carry Up to 800 Kilograms
The ACV currently being tested can transport up to 800 kilograms of cargo and automate routine point-to-point movements. SATS said the service could eventually expand to include higher-capacity vehicles capable of carrying up to 1,500 kilograms, potentially supporting round-the-clock operations. The fully electric vehicles are intended to make cargo movements more flexible while reducing reliance on conventional truck and driver schedules.
Technology Supports Changi Expansion
Both initiatives form part of SATS’ broader effort to strengthen cargo operations as Changi Airport grows. The airport handled 2.08 million tonnes of airfreight in 2025, up 4.5% from the previous year, while SATS’ wider Hub Handler of the Future program combines automation, digitalization, operational innovation, and workforce development. SATS said technology developed in Singapore could eventually be expanded across its global network.
For Singaporeans, the initiatives show how Changi’s cargo sector is pairing automation with workforce training rather than focusing on technology alone. For Indonesian aviation and logistics professionals, developments at nearby Changi provide a regional example of how simulators, autonomous vehicles, and workforce development can be integrated into large-scale airport cargo operations.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Aviation Pros (2026)
Keywords: SATS Singapore, Changi Airport Cargo, Virtual Reality Training, Autonomous Cargo Vehicles, Aviation Technology, Cargo Handling
