FAA Launches AI Air Traffic Tool Smart in Washington Airspace

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will launch an AI air traffic management tool called Smart in one of the busiest air corridors in the United States. It is expected to go live in the Washington, D.C. area as early as the 21st local time, then expand across the country.

Smart stands for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories. It analyzes airline schedules, weather, airport runway capacity and operating limits to predict traffic flow and spot potential conflicts. It aims to help the FAA and airlines cut delays and cancellations, and find new routes when weather or other disruptions hit.

Air Space Intelligence won an $875 million, 12-year U.S. government contract to build Smart and a supporting system. Once fully deployed across U.S. airspace, Smart will act like a brain for the national air traffic control system.

The FAA also plans to set up a Smart central office in Washington. The first rollout is smaller than some in the industry expected, and for now Smart mainly serves as a decision-support tool.