The FAA is deploying SMART, an AI-powered air traffic control system costing $875 million, beginning Monday in Washington, DC airspace. The system analyzes airline schedules, weather, and runway capacity to prevent conflicts and optimize operations, though industry concerns led to a scaled-back rollout using the tool for alternative routing rather than direct flight management.
The FAA's new AI tool SMART for managing air traffic launched this week after weeks of airline industry confusion. The tool will initially operate in a limited capacity at three Washington D.C.-area airports, offering route suggestions to air traffic controllers without changing existing procedures. Industry concerns about extensive AI integration eased after FAA officials clarified the phased rollout approach.
A software defect in the UK's air traffic control system caused widespread travel chaos on 8 September, leading to over 2,000 flight cancellations and affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers. The defect corrupted data, forcing controllers to restrict airspace for safety, though the system restart took over five hours to complete. Airlines UK and the transport secretary demanded accountability and compensation, citing this as the third national incident in three years.
The FAA is investing $875 million in SMART, an AI-powered cloud platform designed to help air traffic controllers manage workflows and prevent flight conflicts by analyzing schedules, weather, and airspace conditions. The software, developed by Air Space Intelligence, will roll out over 12 years starting in the Washington, D.C. area as part of broader efforts to address the nation's air traffic control shortage.