- The FAA switched on its new AI-powered platform known as SMART
- SMART was developed under an $875 million, 12-year contract by Air Space Intelligence
- The platform centralises over 200 data streams to anticipate traffic conflicts
- The system went live in a limited deployment around Washington, D.C. airspace
- Human air traffic controllers retain ultimate decision-making authority
The Federal Aviation Administration has switched on its new AI-powered platform known as SMART, Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, to tackle airspace congestion and flight delays. Developed under an $875 million, 12-year contract by aviation data firm Air Space Intelligence, SMART is designed to change how flight scheduling works. The FAA initiated a pilot launch of the software in the Washington, D.C. airspace corridor.
SMART centralises over 200 data streams including live weather forecasts, airline schedules, runway capacities and controller staffing metrics to anticipate and flag traffic conflicts weeks in advance. It allows traffic managers to strategically adjust schedules or reroute flights before planes leave the gate. The software acts as a predictive analytics tool that processes data to identify bottlenecks weeks before they happen. It then recommends minor schedule shifts or alternative routing to prevent cascading delays.
The system officially went live in a limited deployment around the high-traffic Washington, D.C. airspace. It is currently being utilised for flights routing through Ronald Reagan Washington National, Dulles International and Baltimore/Washington International airports. A broader nationwide rollout is expected to follow. FAA officials and industry leaders state that the software functions strictly as an advisory tool to support air traffic managers, with human controllers retaining ultimate decision-making authority.
