FAA deploys AI tool to tackle flight delays

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is turning to artificial intelligence to tackle one of air travel’s biggest headaches: flight delays.

The agency has begun deploying SMART, short for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, at three major airports serving the Washington region: Reagan National, Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International.

The cloud-based system analyzes about 200 data sources, including weather, airport capacity, flight paths, and controller staffing. It uses that data to forecast traffic patterns and flag potential conflicts, giving planners time to adjust flight schedules or routes before problems arise.

The FAA operates SMART from its command center in Warrenton, Virginia, and sends its recommendations to air traffic control teams. Human officials remain in charge, reviewing every recommendation before deciding whether to use it.

The agency selected startup Air Space Intelligence Inc. in June to help deploy SMART. The company won the contract over larger competitors Palantir Technologies and Thales.

The rollout forms part of the FAA’s broader effort to modernize its aging air traffic control system. Congress has allocated $12.5 billion so far, but the agency says it needs additional funding to complete the overhaul.

But
Some experts are skeptical of putting AI in the cockpit of air traffic control. Rep. Don Beyer called for the immediate suspension of SMART, saying “air traffic controllers were not consulted” on the system’s design and “were not trained on using it” before the tech was adopted at airports. The Democrat represents the district containing Reagan National Airport.