FAA tees up $875M AI tool to help manage air traffic congestion

The FAA plans to launch its AI-based SMART system to advise air traffic controllers in the congested airspace over Washington, DC, as soon as September 21, as a first step toward a nationwide rollout across the 29 million square miles of US national airspace. SMART uses AI models to predict air traffic flows and identify potential conflicts based on airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, and airspace conditions, aiming to cut fuel burn, improve on-time performance, and speed recovery from congestion. The tool is part of an $875 million, 12-year contract awarded to Boston-based Air Space Intelligence in June, which also covers a Flow Management Data and Services system to replace the current system at the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia.