Artificial intelligence will play a bigger role in managing air traffic. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is starting to test a new AI-based tool called SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories) in the Washington, D.C., area. The technology, which is designed to predict delays, could help airlines and passengers by minimizing the number of cancelations and disruptions.
Developed by Boston-based Air Space Intelligence, SMART uses about 200 data points related to, among other things, the weather and flights’ routes, traffic and destinations. An artificial intelligence system analyzes the information and advises on reducing congestion, allowing traffic managers to make decisions days — sometimes weeks — in advance.
The new system of air traffic management uses historical demand, weather patterns and available resources to determine best-case alternatives and recommend adjusting arrival and departure schedules ahead of time, instead of waiting until the last minute to respond to problems.
According to the FAA, SMART is only one of several tools to managing traffic flow, and human air traffic controllers still have the final say. Controllers can approve or reject recommendations, and the system doesn’t manage specific flights or take over any functions of air traffic management.
The Air Traffic Management Project and Its Scope
The trial in the Washington, D.C., area will involve the congested airspace around Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) Airport, Washington Dulles International (IAD) Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Airport. If the test is successful, the technology will be used nationwide.
The project is part of a 2026 $875 million contract between Air Space Intelligence and the FAA. In addition to SMART, the contract includes funding for the Flow Management Data and Services (FMDS), a data backbone that will be the primary support for the FAA’s future Air Traffic Control System Command Center. FMDS enables demand and capacity planning and provides the information infrastructure upon which FMDS was built.
Airlines such as United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have partnered with the FAA and contributed to the development of the system because it will reduce airline costs due to weather and congestion. American Airlines has particularly endorsed the method for its thoroughness.
Broader Context of Modernization
The modernization of the air traffic control system in the U.S. has been a slow process.
Congestion, weather, limited runway capacity, and staff shortages are just some of the problems that air traffic managers deal with daily in the National Airspace System. Current flow management tools require controllers to monitor a variety of displays and to refer to many spreadsheets, whereas the new technology will consolidate and analyze the data. Thus, flight managers will have more flexibility and make smarter decisions based on projected demand. Additionally, the process will remain as safe as it is today.
The Washington experiment will serve as a test case of how effective AI-based technology can be in solving issues in commercial aviation. Airlines can benefit from the elimination of delays and cancellations and reduce their costs since flights use less fuel and are more reliable to passengers. The overall quality of service is expected to improve.
